DA  687    .W5  A3  v.4 
Robinson,  J.  Armitage  1858- 
1933. 

The  abbot ' s  house  at 
Westminster 


v.4 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2014 

https://archive.org/details/abbotshouseatwesOOrobi_0 


NOTES    AND  DOCUMENTS 

RELATING  TO 

WESTMINSTER  ABBEY 

No.  4 

THE  ABBOT'S  HOUSE  AT  WESTMINSTER 


CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY  TRESS 
iioiition:  FETTER  LANE,  E.C. 
C.  F.  CLAY,  Manager 


Cliinlnnnb:  loo,  PRINCES  STREET 
JScrlin:  A.  ASHER  AND  CO. 
1Ltip?ig:  F.  A.  P.ROCKHAUS 
p.fto  gorls:  C.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 
JSnmlinu  ant)  fnltuttn :  MACMILI.AN  AND  Co.,  Lm. 


All  rights  resei-ued 


THE   ABBOT'S  HOUSE 
AT  WESTMINSTER 


BY/ 

J.  ARMITAGE  'ROBINSON,  D.D. 

DEAN  OF  WELLS 


Cambridge  : 
at  the  University  Press 


Cainbtilrge: 

PRINTED  BY  JOHN  CLAY,  M.A. 
AT  THE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 


PREFACE 


'l^TO  English  monastery  has  retained  so  much  of  its  ancient 
^  buildings  intact  as  the  Abbey  of  Westminster.  When 
the  monks  were  forced  to  depart,  the  Refectory  and  the 
Infirmary  Chapel  were  stripped  of  their  lead  and  became 
dangerous  ruins  which  were  soon  cleared  away :  the  Convent 
Kitchen  and  the  Misericorde  survived  only  a  little  longer. 
But  almost  everything  else  lent  itself  with  slight  modification 
to  practical  uses.  The  Chapter  House  became  a  magazine  of 
State  records :  the  Dormitory  was  divided  between  a  Library 
and  a  Schoolroom.  And  the  prebendaries  made  themselves 
houses  with,  at  first,  but  little  structural  alteration  of  the 
various  halls  and  chambers  of  the  old  monastic  officers.  The 
Granary,  the  Gatehouse  and  the  Almonry  were  very  slow  to 
disappear :  prints  and  plans  of  the  eighteenth  century  have 
preserved  to  us  their  main  features.  A  modern  crust  has 
formed  over  very  much  of  the  medieval  work,  partly  destruc- 
tive indeed,  but  partly  also  protective. 

If  the  monastery  had  survived  to  witness  a  great  movement 
of  reform  like  that  of  the  Maurists  in  France,  far  more  would 
have  been  lost  to  the  antiquary  of  our  days,  who  may  be  truly 
thankful  that  the  crash  came  as  soon  as  it  did.  There  would 
be  more  work  to  admire  of  the  style  of  the  Little  Cloisters  and 
the  present  Dormitory  of  the  King's  Scholars ;  but  much  that 


vi 


Preface 


is  of  surpassing  beauty,  and  almost  everything  that  is  of 
historical  interest  outside  the  church  itself,  would  have  been 
carefully  reformed  away. 

It  is  a  matter  of  surprise  that  so  little  has  been  done 
to  map  out  and  describe  with  exactness  the  remains  of  the 
monastic  buildings.  The  late  Mr  Micklethwaite  first  brought 
to  bear  upon  the  question  the  necessary  combination  of 
architectural  and  antiquarian  knowledge.  His  valuable  Notes 
011  the  monastic  buildings  at  Westiimister  must  be  the  basis 
of  any  future  investigations.  But  he  laboured  under  two 
great  disadvantages.  His  work  was  done  long  before  he  was 
made  surveyor  of  the  fabric,  and  there  were  many  domestic 
interiors  to  which  he  had  no  access.  Moreover  the  resources 
of  the  Muniment  Room  were  not  at  his  disposal :  lie  was  not 
himself  qualified  for  their  investigation,  even  if  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  documents  had  gone  far  enough  to  make  such 
researches  possible.  The  present  short  study  will  incidentally 
olfer  some  help  to  those  who  will  concern  themselves  in  the 
future  with  the  topography  of  the  Abbey.  I  have  indeed 
found  it  necessary  to  the  particular  topic  with  which  I  deal  to 
make  a  courageous  attempt  at  a  plan  of  those  portions  of  the 
buildings  which  adjoin  the  Abbot's  House.  This  plan  must 
be  taken  as  the  M^ork  of  an  amateur,  who  has  had  to  combine 
parts  of  old  and  new  plans  of  varying  scales  and  of  unequal 
degrees  of  exactitude.  It  will  be  discarded,  of  course,  when 
new  workers  carry  forward  the  enquiry ;  but  meanwhile  it 
may  serve  to  correct  some  mistakes  of  the  past,  as  well  as  to 
illustrate  some  of  the  documents  which  are  here  printed. 

The  Abbot's  House  has  escaped  the  ravages  of  time  and 
restoration  better  than  any  other  part  of  the  domestic  buildings 


Preface 


vii 


of  the  monastery.  The  change  which  it  has  undergone  has 
been  ahnost  entirely  of  the  nature  of  addition.  The  additions 
themselves  are  worth  studying,  and  the  more  so  because  to 
a  large  extent  tliey  can  lie  exactly  dated.  Accordingly,  while 
my  main  interest  has  been  in  the  medieval  portions,  I  have 
added  a  series  of  documents  which  throw  light  upon  the  later 
history,  I  cannot  guarantee  the  exactness  of  the  transcripts 
of  some  of  these  later  documents  in  minute  particulars, 
T  have  taken  them  from  my  notebooks,  and  have  not  been 
able  to  vei'ify  them.  But  they  will  serve  their  purpose  as  a 
guide  to  the  material  which  still  awaits  systematic  treatment. 
For  the  medieval  period  I  take  full  responsibility,  for  my 
work  upon  it  was  practically  completed  while  it  was  still 
my  privilege  to  live  in  the  Abbot's  House. 

I  have  to  thank  my  friends  Mr  Wallace,  the  Assistant 
Surveyor  of  the  Abbey,  and  Mr  Gladwyn  Turbutt  for  kind 
assistance  of  a  technical  character,  I  have  not  added  an 
Index  ;  for  it  seemed  that  reference  would  be  better  facilitated 
by  a  full  Table  of  Contents. 


The  Deanrky,  Wells. 

Translation  of  St  Edward,  1911 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface    v 

The  Abbot's  Camera  in  the  Xorman  ^Ioxastery  ....  1 

The  Tmret  Stairca.se  

An  earlier  building  on  the  site  of  Jcru.salcui  Chamber  ...  7 

The  "Work  ov  Abbot  Litlyxgtun   9 

Subsequent  Developments   13 

Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes   16 

A.  Flete's  Description  of  Litlyngton's  Building  Operations      .       .  16 

B.  Summaries  and  Specimens  from  Litlyngton's  Accounts      .       .  16 

1.  Summary  of  Payments  for  the  Abbot's  House  ...  16 

2.  Extracts  relating  to  Litlyngton's  building  operations       .  17 

C.  The  Six  Oaks  requested  for  the  Abbot  by  the  King  ...  20 

D.  The  Story  of  the  Lead  lent  to  the  Abbot   21 

E.  The  Lease  to  the  Widowed  Queen   22 

F.  The  Grant  to  Bishop  Thirlby   24 

Cheynygates — Cawagium — Blackestole — Oxchall      ...  26 

The  King's  Almshouse — Bakehouse  and  Brewhousc       .       .  27 

G.  Dissolution  Inventories   30 

The  Butterye   30 

The  I\Iysericorde   34 

The  Kechyn  wythin  C'heyngate   35 

Mr  Thyxtyls  Chamber — Mr  Meltons  Chamber-  Sulyards  cham- 
ber— ilr  Morres  Chamber — The  gallorye— Jerusalem  parlor  37 
The  entrie — Jerico  parlor— ily  lordys  newe  Chappell — the  lyttle 

Chamber  nexte— The  Halle   38 

The  Skolyons  Chamber — The  Porters  lodge— Syr  Eadulphis 
Chamber— the  lyttle  chamber  over  the  comon  Jakys — 
Adames  Chamber — Tytleys  Chamber — Gabriels  chamber — 

Wardrobe  at  Cheneygates                                            .  39 

The  Stable — Fuller.s  Chamber — Nuttingis  Chamber — Busbycs 

Chamber — Patchys  Chamber   41 


X 


Contents 


PAGE 

The  Priors  House                                                     .       .  41 

The  masshyiig  house — Thouiehs  chamber — Sayiit  Johns  House 
— the  mylhouse— the  goddis  blessing  house— the  Ealing 

house — the  bake  House   43 

The  Covent  Kychen — the  salt  howsc — the  blakc  [)arlor— the 

A\'etlarder   45 

The  Farmari — Seynt  Kateryns  ChappcU   46 

H.  The  Dean's  House  in  the  Bishop's  time   50 

The  site  of  the  Prior's  House— Leases   50 

I.  The  Site  of  the  Miserieorde   54 

J.     Notices  lelating  to  the  Deanery   58 

1—4.      Under  Dean  Bill  and  Dean  Goodman       ...  58 

5 — 10.    Dean  Neile's  Memoriall.    Accounts  and  Inventories  59 

11—13.    Dean  Williams   64 

14 — 21.    Bradshaw's  Chamber— Erections  on  the  S.W.  Tower  .  65 
John  Bradshaw's  contention  with  the  Governors — 

His  Lease   66 

Items  of  his  Bills   73 

22.       Dean  Sprat   75 

23,  24.    Dean  Atterbury — Plans  made  for  his  alterations     .  76 

25.       Dean  Wilcocks    .   78 

K.    The  Norman  Chequer  Work   81 

L.    Where  was  the  Abbot's  Chapel   83 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Plan  of  'Abbots  Koome'  and  'Landry'  (from  Plan  of  1715)  .  .  .  p.  Q 
Plan  of  part  of  First  Floor  of  the  Deanery       .  .     between  pp.  6  and  7 


Sketch  Plan  of  [lart  of  the  ilonastic  Buildings.       .       .         iit  pocket  of  cover 


THE  ABBOT'S  HOUSE. 


I.    THE  ABBOT'S  CAMERA  IN  THE  NORMAN  MONASTERY. 

The  cloister  of  Westminster,  in  accordance  with  the  normal  Bene- 
dictine plan,  lay  on  the  south  side  of  the  church,  the  nave  of  which 
formed  its  northern  boundary.  The  east  walk  was  bounded  by  the 
south  transept,  the  chapter-house  and  part  of  the  dormitory ;  the  south 
walk  by  the  refectory,  and  the  west  walk  by  the  cellarer's  offices. 

The  last-mentioned  point  in  this  arrangement  was  varied  at  a  later 
period:  but  it  accords  with  the  Norman-French  poem  on  the  Life  of 
St  Edward,  written  in  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century,  which  thus 
describes  the  cloister  and  its  surrounding  buildings^ : 

Clostre  i  fait,  chapitre  a  frund, 
Vers  Orient  vouse  e  rund; 
U  si  ordene  ruinistre 
Teingnent  lur  secrei  chapitre; 
Refaitur  e  le  dortur 
E  les  officines  entur. 

A  cloister  there  he  made,  chapter-house  in  ft-ont 

Towards  the  east  vaulted  and  round; 

Where  his  ordained  ministers 

Might  hold  their  secret  chapter; 

Frater  and  dorter 

And  offices  round  about. 

More  definite  evidence  of  the  position  of  the  cellarer's  offices  is 
afforded  by  the  Customary  of  Abbot  Richard  de  Ware  which  belongs 
to  the  latter  half  of  the  same  century.  Here  we  find  the  rule  that 
'  while  the  convent  is  sitting  in  chapter  no  brother,  as  also  no  secular, 
shall  pass  across  outside  before  the  door  of  the  chapter-house  on  that 

1  Lives  of  Edward  the  Confessor  (ed,  Luard),  Rolls  Series,  p.  90. 
R.  1 


2 


The  Abbot's  House 


side  of  the  cloister,  nor  on  the  other  side  over  opposite  next  the  cellarer's 
offices  {juxta  celariuni),  unless  bidden  to  do  so^.' 

The  author  of  the  poem  quoted  above  assigns  the  completion  of  the 
monastic  buildings  to  St  Edward :  but  we  have  good  proof  that  the 
cloister  (and  perhaps  the  refectory  also)  was  built  under  Abbot  Gilbert 
in  the  reign  of  William  Rufus.  In  1807  a  sculptured  stone  was  found 
in  a  partition  wall  between  the  Mitre  and  Horn  Taverns  in  Union 
Street.  This  wall  was  the  remnant  of  a  Gate  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Palace  Court,  called  the  High  Tower,  begun  by  King  Richard  III  in  1484, 
but  left  unfinished,  and  at  length  demolished  in  1706.  This  stone  is 
figured  in  Brayley  and  Britton's  History  of  the  Ancient  Palace  of  West- 
minster'^. There  can  be  little  doubt  that  it  formed  the  capital  of  one  of 
the  pillars  of  the  Norman  cloister.  Three  sides  of  it  are  sculptured, 
each  side  presenting  a  group  of  three  figures :  (1)  the  abbot  with  a 
pastoral  staff,  a  monk  behind  holding  a  closed  book,  and  another  in 
front  holding  an  open  book  with  the  words  EGO  SVM ;  (2)  three  men, 
of  whom  the  one  in  the  centre  holds  a  long  open  roll ;  (3)  a  seated  figure 
holding  an  open  scroll  with  his  two  hands,  probably  the  king,  with  the 
abbot  on  his  right  and  a  monk  on  his  left.  The  following  portions  of 
inscriptions  above  the  groups  remain  : 

(1)  ...CLAVSTRVM  •  ET  •  RELe... 

(2)  ...V  •  SVB  ■  ABBATE  •  GISLE... 

(3)  WILLELMO  •  SECVN.... 

As  the  wall  of  the  refectory  which  bounds  the  south  walk  of  the  cloister 
retains  on  its  southern  face  remains  of  Norman  arcading,  we  may  not 
unreasonably  suppose  that  the  four  letters  of  the  inscription,  which  look 
like  REL  followed  by  a  broken  E,  represent  the  first  part  of  the  word 
REFECTORIVM.  This  great  hall,  170  ft.  by  40  ft.,  may  well  belong 
to  the  period  in  which  the  yet  vaster  hall  of  William  Rufus  was  rising 
close  by. 

1  Customary,  p.  196.  The  second  part  of  this  prohibitiou  takes  us  back  to  the  earlier 
chapter-house  which  was  not  so  remote  as  the  present  one  from  the  cloister;  and  it  implies 
that  the  monks  sat  with  open  door  so  that  they  could  see  and  be  seen  from  the  opposite 
side  of  the  cloister.  In  the  Customary  of  St  Augustine's,  Canterbury,  which  reproduces 
Abbot  Kichard  de  Ware's  with  certain  necessary  modifications,  we  find  juxta  cameram 
abbatis  instead  of  juxta  ce.lariuin :  so  that  there  the  Abbot's  Lodgings  were  at  that  time 
on  the  west  side  of  the  cloister,  and  the  cellarer  (as  at  Westminster  later)  was  provided 
for  elsewhere. 

^  Three  sides  of  it  are  figured  twice  over,  on  pp.  416,  445,  446,  and  on  plate  xxxv 
at  the  end  of  the  book.  It  was  sold  by  Mr  Capon,  an  antiquary,  to  Sir  Gregory  Page 
Turner,  Bart.,  for  one  hundred  guineas  {ibid.  p.  446).  See  further  Gilbert  Crispin,  in 
this  series,  p.  35. 


The  Abbot's  Camera  in  the  Gorman  Monaster}/  3 


Though  this  capital  is  perhaps  irrevocably  lost,  other  capitals  with 
somewhat  similar  sculptures  happily  remain,  together  with  pillars  and 
bases  and  the  fragments  of  arches,  discovered  at  various  times  and  now 
brought  together  in  the  undercroft  beneath  the  dormitory.  When  the 
ground  of  the  cloister  garth  was  lowered  three  feet  and  a  half  by 
Sir  Gilbert  Scott  in  1869,  a  portion  of  the  old  cloister  wall  was  revealed 
on  the  west  side  of  the  garth,  and  it  can  still  be  seen  on  the  removal  of 
a  large  stone  cover  which  protects  the  Availed  trench  which  has  been 
made  to  enclose  it.  It  was  noticed  at  the  time  that  the  upper  stones 
bore  marks  which  indicated  the  structures  which  rested  upon  them,  but 
their  interpretation  was  not  properly  made  out.  The  reconstruction  of 
the  existing  fragments  in  the  undercroft  suggests  that  the  bases  of  the 
pillars  are  indicated  by  these  marks,  and  so  the  exact  distance  between 
the  pillars  is  ascertained.  In  April  1909  careful  search  was  made  for 
the  foundations  of  this  wall,  and  its  line  is  now  shewn  by  stones 
embedded  in  the  grass ^ 

Having  thus  dated  the  Norman  cloister  and  noted  its  surrounding 
buildings,  we  are  in  a  position  to  ask,  Where  was  the  abbot's  camera  ? 
There  is  fortunately  no  doubt  as  to  the  answer.  In  the  south-west 
angle  of  the  cloister  is  an  entrance  chamber  in  line  with  the  south 
walk.  This  served  as  the  outer  parlour  {locidorium  extrinsecus),  where 
the  monks  spoke  with  their  visitors.  The  chamber  over  it,  which  must 
have  been  reached  by  a  newel  stair,  was  the  camera  of  the  abbot.  Al- 
though the  parlour  below  was  altered  and  modernised  by  Abbot  Litlyngton 
in  the  fourteenth  century,  when  the  new  cloister  was  being  completed, 
the  camera  above  shews  sufficient  indication  of  having  existed  in  the 
earlier  period :  for  its  eastern  wall  partly  overhangs  the  wall  of  the 
later  cloister,  and  does  not  lie  straight  upon  it,  but  is  parallel  with  the 
old  Norman  wall  in  the  cloister  garth  to  which  we  have  referred  above. 

The  position  thus  assigned  to  the  abbot's  camera  over  the  locidorium 
is  bonie  out  by  the  similar  arrangement  in  the  monastery  of  Gloucester ; 
though,  as  the  cloister  there  lies  north  of  the  church,  these  chambers 
are  bounded  on  the  south  not  by  the  refectory  wall,  but  by  the  wall 
of  the  church  itself  In  later  times  this  upper  chamber  was  the  prior's 
chapel,  but  originally  it  belonged  to  the  abbot^. 

1  See  '  The  Church  of  Edward  the  Confessor,'  Archaeolugia,  vol.  i-xii,  p.  94.  The  plan 
of  the  Abbey  which  I  have  there  given  will  be  found  useful  for  the  understanding  of  the 
present  work. 

2  See  Mr  St  John  Hope's  '  Notes  on  the  Abbey  of  Gloucester,'  Archaeological  Journal, 
March,  1907. 

1—2 


4 


The  Abbot's  House 


It  is  possible  that  at  the  end  of  the  eleventh  century  no  further 
provision  was  made  for  the  separate  accommodation  of  the  abbot.  The 
Customary  informs  us  that  in  ancient  times  (antiquihis)  the  abbot  slept 
in  the  dormitory  and  dined  in  the  refectory  with  his  monks.  But  in 
the  twelfth  century  the  requirements  of  the  abbot  in  the  greater 
monasteries  increased  :  his  share  of  the  monastic  property  was  separated 
from  that  of  the  convent,  and  large  duties  of  hospitality  had  to  be 
discharged  by  him.  Consequently  he  needed  a  hall  and  kitchen  of 
his  own. 

Now  an  ancient  wall  on  the  south  side  of  what  afterwards  came  to 
be  the  abbot's  courtyard  has  several  small  blocked  windows  high  up,  as 
well  as  traces  of  the  relieving  arches  of  larger  openings  on  the  gi-ound 
floor.  It  is  conceivable  that  this  formed  part  of  the  north  wall  of  the 
abbot's  hall.  The  kitchen  lies  immediately  to  the  west ;  so  that,  if  this 
be  its  original  position,  we  get  the  usual  arrangement  of  the  hall  in  the 
centre,  the  kitchen  at  one  end,  and  the  lord's  camera  at  the  other, 
reached  by  a  door  behind  the  dais  or  high  table.  If  this  supposition 
be  correct,  practically  the  whole  of  the  twelfth-century  house  of  the 
abbot  still  exists,  though  somewhat  obscured  by  later  modifications  and 
additions. 

Some  confirmation  of  this  view  comes  from  the  further  consideration 
of  a  point  which  has  been  briefly  alluded  to  already,  and  must  now  be 
examined  more  fully.  The  rebuilding  of  St  Edward's  church  by  King 
Henry  III  had  included  the  choir  and  transepts,  but  had  stopped 
short  in  the  fourth  bay  west  of  the  crossing.  For  the  rest,  the  old 
Norman  nave  was  linked  on  and  left  to  do  service  for  another  hundred 
years.  As  for  the  cloister,  the  portions  contiguous  to  the  new  church 
had  been  constructed  in  the  new  style ;  and  in  the  course  of  the  four- 
teenth century  the  remainder  was  by  slow  degrees  rebuilt,  until  at  last 
the  cloister  was  finished  in  June  1365.  The  extension  of  the  nave  was 
of  course  in  contemplation,  though  the  old  nave  was  not  taken  down 
until  ten  years  after  this  date.  But,  when  the  measurements  for  its  ex- 
tension were  calculated,  it  was  plain  that  one  of  the  buttresses  supporting 
the  fliers  would  stand  out  in  the  middle  of  the  then  existing  west 
walk  of  the  cloister.  It  was  therefore  necessary  that  this  walk  should 
be  moved  westward  some  five  feet  at  its  northern  end,  and  that  the 
whole  range  of  the  cellarer's  buildings  which  bounded  it  should  be 
demolished.  A  new  west  walk  had  to  be  constructed  between  two  of 
the  nave  buttresses — sixteen  feet  and  a  half  in  width ^. 

'  For  this  and  for  what  follows  reference  should  be  made  to  Plan,  in  cover. 


The  Ahhofs  Camera  in  the  Norman  Monaster n  o 


At  the  southern  end  two  points  had  to  be  taken  into  consideration 
in  drawing  the  line  of  this  new  walk.  First,  the  door  of  the  refectory, 
which  probably  could  not  be  shifted  much  to  the  west  without  great 
inconvenience  ;  and,  secondly,  the  abbot's  camera  over  the  outer  parlour. 
Accordingly  the  line  of  the  west  wall  was  drawn  from  the  buttress  at 
the  northern  end  to  the  eastern  wall  of  the  abbot's  camera.  This  latter 
wall  actually  overhangs  the  new  cloister  wall  a  little,  especially  where 
they  first  meet :  for  it  makes  a  right  angle  with  the  refectory  wall,  as 
did  the  old  cloister  wall,  whereas  the  new  wall  makes  an  angle  slightly 
obtuse  (see  Plan  between  pp.  6  and  7). 

Now  a  careful  measurement  of  the  existing  buildings  of  the  abbot's 
house  shews  that  a  certain  portion  of  them  can  be  marked  off  from  the 
rest  by  the  fact  that  their  lines  run  parallel  or  at  right  angles  to  the 
old  west  wall  of  the  cloister :  whereas  all  the  buildings  that  are  certainly 
new  work  of  Litlyngton  have  a  slightly  different  direction.  The  diffe- 
rence is  indeed  very  small,  and  only  reveals  itself  on  a  minute  investiga- 
tion. But  it  exists,  and  its  existence  confirms  the  belief  that  we  are 
here  dealing  with  work  of  an  earlier  period,  and  that  this  portion  of  the 
buildings  formed  the  abbot's  house  of  the  Norman  time. 

The  Turret  Staircase. 

If  we  go  out  on  the  leads  over  the  room  formerly  called  the  High 
Dining-Room,  but  recently  the  Ante-Room,  we  may  observe  a  slight 
irregularity  in  the  parapet,  nine  feet  from  the  tiled  wall.  Looking 
over,  we  see  that  the  wall  is  set  back  here  about  three  inches.  We  are 
in  fact  at  the  junction  of  the  building  which  forms  the  south  side  of 
the  courtyard  and  a  small  tun-et,  nine  feet  square,  which  once  contained 
a  circular  staircase. 

The  structure  of  this  turret,  of  which  almost  every  trace  has  now 
disappeared,  is  discoverable  from  the  plans  made  for  Dean  Atterbury's 
alterations  in  1715.  It  is  there  shewn  as  somewhat  oddly  cut  away 
inside  in  order  to  make  room  for  the  ordinary  wooden  stairs.  On  the 
ground  floor  its  eastern  wall  remains,  and  forms  part  of  the  west  wall 
of  the  kitchen.  An  elevation  of  1718  shews  that  it  rose  four  feet  above 
its  present  level  and  had  a  parapet  on  the  top. 

It  must  at  one  time  have  had  a  door  leading  by  a  landing  to  the 
west  room  over  the  entrance  to  the  cloister  and  another  lower  down 
giving  access  to  the  Ante-Room,  the  floor  of  which  is  seven  feet  lower 
than  that  of  the  room  just  mentioned.    It  is  possible  that  this  turret- 


6 


The  Abbot's  House 


stair  goes  back  to  early  Norman  times,  and  was  built  to  give  access 
to  the  abbot's  camera^. 

In  the  portion  of  the  plan  which  is  here  reproduced  the  two  rooms 
on  the  south,  called  '  Abbots  Roome '  and  '  Landry,'  are  the  rooms  over 
the  entrance  to  the  cloister.  The  '  Abbots  Roome '  is  certainly  the 
most  ancient  part  of  the  house;  and  it  is  interesting  to  find  the  tradition 
that  this  was  the  original  camera  of  the  abbot  lingering  on  into  the 
eighteenth  century.  '  My  L*^^  Bedchamber '  is  the  room  over  the  present 
dining-room.  The  staircase  was  more  or  less  straightened  (see  Plan  of  First 
Floor),  probably  as  the  result  of  the  changes  which  this  plan  was  drawn 
to  prepare  for:  so  that  the  circle  of  the  vise  can  no  longer  be  traced. 


Abbots  Roome 
now 

Buttler  «r  Cookes  Cham'- 


Lcuidry 


My  Passage 


Fl^t  of  Le axis 


My      Bed  Cham"^ 


FROM  PLAN  OF  1715. 


'  There  is  a  deeply  recessed  wall  to  the  south  of  this  turret,  forming  part  of  the  east 
wall  of  the  coal-cellar.  A  good  deal  of  alteration  has  taken  place  at  this  point,  and  I  am 
not  able  satisfactorily  to  account  for  it. 


LirJEoJ^loisttr  W, 


The  JDeaatry  Wesl'miasrer 

Plan  oj  par!"  "Floor  sbewinS"  ttje,  Anjk  oj  Uorman  buildloJ  as  command  ojith.  the  \akr\ 

^a\t'/8  inch  =  l|cor. 


I  I        Horman . 

^H^H  i65l  (recon^l'rucl'cd^ 


Lire 


J  [ 


The  Abbot's  Camera  in  the  Nonnan  Monastery  1 


An  earlier  building  on  the  site  of  Jerusalem  Chamber. 

The  eastern  wall  of  Jerusalem  Chamber  is  nearly,  but  not  quite, 
contiguous  with  the  western  face  of  the  south-west  tower,  and  where 
the  recess  of  the  tower  comes  a  deep  pit  is  formed  between  the  two 
buildings,  which  is  a  favourite  nesting-place  of  the  abbey  pigeons.  If 
we  look  down  into  this  pit,  we  may  see  two  sets  of  corbels  on  the  wall 
of  Jerusalem,  which  now  serve  no  purpose  at  all.  It  seems  impossible 
to  interpret  them  otherwise  than  by  the  supposition  that  they  belonged 
to  a  chamber  east  of  Jerusalem,  which  had  to  be  pulled  down  to  make 
room  for  the  new  towers  of  the  extended  nave. 

In  the  passage  which  leads  from  the  present  servants'  hall  to  the 
cellars  under  Jerusalem  we  find  in  the  southern  wall  similar  corbels 
a  little  below  the  level  of  the  lower  of  the  two  sets  above  mentioned. 
These  also  are  at  pi-esent  without  employment;  but  at  some  period 
subsequent  to  the  building  of  the  tower  they  seem  to  have  been  used  to 
carry  the  joists  of  an  upper  passage. 

When  we  look  at  a  plan  which  shews  Jerusalem  Chamber  and  the 
abbot's  hall,  we  see  that  the  walls  of  the  former  are  considerably 
thicker,  with  the  exception  of  the  east  wall,  which  on  our  supposition 
was  not  originally  intended  for  an  external  wall.  The  wall  in  the 
passage  which  contains  the  corbels  is  three  feet  thick ;  and  it  contains 
a  window  of  quite  a  different  type  from  the  windows  in  the  long  passage 
under  the  gallery. 

We  conclude  therefore  that  before  Litlyngton  began  his  work  of 
reconstruction  there  existed  a  building  on  this  site,  which  was  about 
twice  the  size  of  the  present  building,  though  probably  its  upper  cham- 
bers were  not  so  lofty  as  Jerusalem  now  is.  The  eastern  half  of  this, 
except  its  southern  wall,  had  to  be  pulled  down  in  order  to  make  room 
for  the  south-west  tower.  But  the  western  half  was  saved,  and  its 
upper  portion  was  renewed  and  beautified  as  the  nova  camera  of  the 
abbot,  intended  to  form  the  solar  at  the  back  of  the  dais  of  his  new 
hall.  This  work  of  reconstruction  was  completed,  as  we  shall  presently 
see,  some  three  years  before  the  old  nave  was  pulled  down  ;  and  we  may 
perhaps  assume  that  the  extent  of  the  new  nave  and  its  western  towers 
had  already  been  carefully  calculated^. 

1  A  careful  examination  of  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  Chamber  and  the  hall  bears  out  the 
general  conclusions  drawn  above.  The  west  wall  of  Jerusalem  is  4'  6"  in  thickness,  the 
south  wall  4'  7"  (the  present  difference  being  doubtless  due  to  the  protected  position  of 
the  latter,  which  has  saved  it  from  decay) ;  the  walls  of  Litlyngton's  liall  are  3'  1"  or  3'  2". 


8 


The  Ahbofs  House 


It  is  very  probable  that  the  building  which  was  thus  partially 
demolished  ran  right  up  to  the  Norman  south-west  tower.  I  am  now 
inclined  to  extend  the  Norman  nave  two  bays  further  to  the  west  than 
in  the  conjectural  plan  which  I  appended  to  my  study  of  the  Church 
of  Edward  the  Confessor^ ;  for  this  makes  it  easier  to  understand  the 
letter  in  which  Litlyngton  informed  Simon  Langham  that  he  had  every- 
thing in  readiness  '  for  the  length  of  three  pillars'  early  in  1376  ;  and  it 
also  provides  a  more  reasonable  size  for  the  old  nave  which  had  been 
left  and  joined  on  to  Henry  Ill's  new  work  a  hundred  years  before. 

An  outside  view  of  the  west  walls  of  Jerusalem  and  the  hall  seems  at  first  sight  to  suggest 
that  all  was  built  at  one  time :  the  lower  part  not  only  shews  no  break  at  all  where  the 
buildings  join,  but  also  is  ornamented  by  a  continuous  band  of  bricks  and  flints.  But 
higher  up  above  the  windows  (which  have  been  restored)  it  is  plain  that  the  present  face 
of  the  wall  of  the  hall  shews  the  ancient  stones,  now  much  decayed ;  whereas  its  lower 
part  and  also  the  wall  of  Jerusalem  have  been  refaced  in  modern  times.  It  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  the  wall  which  still  shews  the  old  work  is  of  a  later  date  than  the  wall 
which  forty  years  ago  needed  to  be  entirely  refaced. 

The  south  wall  of  Jerusalem  has  been  protected  on  its  south  face  by  the  Chapter  wine- 
cellar,  and  its  appearance  is  instructive.  It  is  easy  to  observe  the  difference  in  construction 
between  it  and  the  walls  of  Litlyngton's  hall,  east  and  west.  It  shews  a  considerable 
number  of  evenly  laid  small  square  blocks,  suggesting  that  it  was  once  an  external  wall 
carefully  built  though  afterwards  a  good  deal  patched:  and  it  also  has  a  good  deal  of 
chalk  in  it. 

The  3-ft.  wall  which  continues  this  south  wall  towards  the  east  is  not  quite  parallel 
with  the  base  of  the  tower,  being  nearer  to  it  by  a  foot  at  its  eastern  end.  It  is  the  wall 
referred  to  above  as  containing  some  of  the  corbels.  I  think  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
it  is  earlier  than  the  tower  base,  though  it  may  not  be  so  early  as  the  thick  walls  of 
Jerusalem,  unless  indeed  it  was  not  originally  built  as  an  external  wall.  When  Islip 
erected  his  new  building  he  built  parallel  or  at  right  angles  to  this  wall,  not  to  the 
tower  base. 


1  Archaeolof/ia,  i.xii,  81—100  (1910). 


II.    THE  WORK  OF  ABBOT  LITLYNGTON. 


John  Flete,  who  was  prior  from  1448 — 65,  wrote  a  history  of  the 
Abbey  which  ends  with  the  year  of  Abbot  Litlyngton's  death,  namely 
1386.  He  informs  us  that  '  in  this  abbot's  time  and  by  his  industrious 
activity  there  were  built  anew  from  the  foundations  the  whole  of  the 
abbot's  place  next  the  church,  half  the  cloister  (namely  its  western  and 
southern  sides),  the  offices  of  some  of  the  obedientiaries  (as  the  bailiff's, 
the  infirmarer's,  the  sacrist's  and  the  cellarer's),  the  great  malthouse 
with  the  tower  there,  the  water-mill  and  the  dam  with  walls  of  stone, 
as  well  as  the  stone  enclosure  of  the  infirmary  garden:  all  of  which 
were  built  out  of  the  property  of  the  church,  and  specially  out  of  the 
property  of  Simon  de  Langham  his  predecessor,  to  the  great  honour  of 
the  monastery  aforesaid^.' 

Various  account-rolls  are  preserved  which  bear  out  this  statement  in 
general ;  but  we  shall  find  that  the  latter  portion  of  it  is  not  applicable 
to  the  rebuilding  of  the  abbot's  house,  the  payments  for  which  came  out 
of  Litlyngton's  own  purse^.  The  rebuilding  of  the  cellarer's  department 
was,  as  we  have  already  seen,  necessitated  by  the  alteration  of  the  line 
of  the  west  cloister  walk.  The  cellarer  was  housed  in  convenient  buildings 
close  to  the  convent  kitchen :  they  still  remain,  and  are  occupied  as 
dwelling-houses,  on  the  east  side  of  what  is  now  Dean's  Yard. 

The  site  at  Litlyngton's  disposal  for  the  abbot's  place,  after  the 
removal  of  the  cellarer's  buildings,  may  be  roughly  described  as  an 
oblong  of  about  130  by  260  feet.  It  was  bounded  on  the  east  by  the 
cloister,  and  on  the  north  by  a  line  drawn  from  the  cloister  wall  past 
the  south-west  tower  as  far  as  the  great  gatehouse,  which  stood  until 
1777  nearly  where  the  Crimean  Memorial  now  stands  in  the  Great 
Sanctuary.  This  oblong  was  divided  by  Litlyngton's  new  hall  into  two 
squares,  the  western  of  which  was  left  free  for  a  garden.  The  square 
between  the  hall  and  the  cloister  was  itself  divided  by  a  gallery  which 

1  Flete's  History  of  Westminster  Abbey,  p.  135:  see  below,  Illustrative  Documents,  A. 

2  See  below,  Illustr.  Doc.  B. 


10 


The  Abbot's  House 


ran  across  to  the  south-east  corner  of  the  tower :  the  two  sub-divisions 
thus  formed  were  the  abbot's  courtyard  and  the  little  garden  under  the 
cloister  walP. 

We  are  fortunate  in  possessing  a  series  of  Abbot  Litlyngton's  account- 
rolls,  which  enable  us  to  trace  with  some  exactness  the  progress  of  his 
building  operations.  When  Litlyngton  became  abbot  in  April  1362,  he 
m:\i\v  .Inhii  Lakyngheth,  an  able  young  monk,  warden  of  his  household 
{cii.stii.s  Inisplrii)  and  abbot's  treasurer — for  he  bears  both  titles''^.  But  in 
1371  Lakyngheth  became  treasurer  to  the  convent,  and  after  that  the 
abbot  was  less  fortunate  in  his  managers.  A  clerk  of  the  kitchen,  one 
Richard  Fortheye,  now  presents  the  accounts ;  but  the  abbot  gets  into 
debt.  Presently  William  Colchester,  who  succeeded  Litlyngton  as  abbot, 
appears  as  treasurer  and  warden  of  the  household.  From  1374  Fortheye 
presents  a  portion  of  the  accounts  as  clerk  of  the  kitchen,  and  the  trea- 
surer presents  a  separate  roll :  but  in  March  1379,  Fortheye  hands 
over  his  task  to  William  de  Greseleye,  who  is  styled  seneschal  of  the 
household ;  and  shortly  afterwards  other  arrangements  are  made. 

These  rolls,  besides  being  important  for  the  study  of  the  domestic 
economy  of  the  latter  part  of  the  fourteenth  century,  contain  here  and 
there  points  of  extraordinary  interest.  Gardeners  will  be  pleased  to  find 
a  payment  made  at  the  abbot's  manor  of  Denham  to  a  boy  who  bi'ought 
'plants  of  Wardon  pears'  from  Hendon  in  1368.  The  abbot  was  engaged 
on  great  building  operations  at  Denham  at  that  time.  But  we  see  him 
not  only  as  a  builder,  but  also  as  a  lover  of  the  chase.  In  1369  a  collar 
is  bought  for  a  harrier  named  Sturdy ;  and  there  are  many  references 
to  his  dogs  and  horses.  But  the  most  remarkable  entry  is  that  which 
in  1368  immediately  follows  certain  payments  for  his  chapel :  the  sum 
of  sixpence  is  paid  '  for  one  falcon  of  wax  to  be  offered  for  a  sick  falcon.' 
Whether  the  abbot  approved  of  such  methods  of  healing  or  not,  the 
entry  remains  unchallenged  by  his  auditor^. 

From  these  accounts  we  are  able  to  trace  the  general  course  of 
operations.  From  1362  to  1365  work  is  going  on  above  the  entrance 
to  the  cloister,  and  payments  are  made  to  John  Mordon,  who  was  custos 

^  See  Plan  in  cover. 

2  See  below,  Illustr.  Doc.  B.  For  an  account  of  John  Lakyngheth  see  'An 
Unrecognised  Westminster  Chronicler,'  Proceedings  of  British  Academy,  1907,  vol.  iii, 
pp.  15—17. 

3  1367—8  (Munim.  24,512) :  '  Et  in  j  falcon'  de  cer'  emp'  pro  j  falcon'  infirm'  offerend'. 
vj  d....et  ciiidam  garcioni  venient'  de  Hendon  cum  plantis  pirarum  Wardonum  apud 
Denham  precepto  domini.    vj  d.' 

1368—9  (Munim.  24,513) :  '  In  j  colar'  emp'  pro  Sturdy  leporar'  precepto  domini.  iij  d. 


The  Work  of  Abbot  Litlyngton 


11 


novi  operis  and  was  then  engaged  upon  the  cloister  which  was  finished 
in  1365. 

Two  rolls  are  missing,  but  in  1367 — 8  the  abbot  pays  to  Walter 
Warfeld  the  cellarer  £20  towards  the  new  gate  of  the  abbey  at  the 
western  end  of  his  site. 

The  roll  for  1369 — 70  is  missing,  but  for  nine  years  after  that 
payments  are  made  to  Walter  Warfeld  for  what  is  called  novum 
edificium.  In  1371 — 2  canvas  is  bought  for  the  windows  of  '  my 
lord's  new  camera':  and,  as  we  have  elsewhere  a  mention  of  the  wall 
from  the  gate  of  the  abbey  to  the  abbot's  camera,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  Jerusalem  Chamber  is  here  referred  to.  After  this  the  abbot's 
hall  was  built,  and  an  account-roll  of  Walter  Warfeld  shews  us  that  in 
1375 — 6  it  was  so  far  finished  that  John  Payable  was  putting  in  the 
glass — of  which  a  fragment  bearing  the  initials  N.L.  still  remains  in  its 
place.    After  1379  the  payments  for  novum  edificium  cease. 

In  1380 — 1  a  small  payment  is  made  to  William  Mordon  '  in  aid  of 
the  wall  next  the  gate.'  We  shall  see  presently  that  this  wall  had  been 
built  at  the  abbot's  cost,  and  that  William  Mordon  was  now  putting  on 
the  battlements. 

One  thing  remained  to  be  done,  but  it  was  not  undertaken  at  once. 
This  was  to  provide  a  covered  way  by  which  the  abbot  could  reach 
Jerusalem  Chamber  without  having  to  go  through  the  hall.  In  1383 — 4 
foundations  were  being  laid  in  the  garden,  and  the  next  year  a  gallery 
was  made  across  from  the  southern  side  of  the  court  to  the  east  end  of 
the  base  of  the  new  tower,  and  thence  along  its  south  face  to  Jerusalem 
Chamber.  This  is  called  '  the  little  cloister  within  the  abbot's  mansion,' 
and  also  '  the  Aley.'  The  lower  passage  was  built  of  stone  and  remains 
almost  intact :  the  upper  passage  was,  as  now,  of  lath  and  plaster,  but 
parls  of  it  have  been  swallowed  up  in  subsequent  enlargements  of  the 
house. 

Two  incidental  references  to  Litlyngton's  new  buildings  may  be 
noted  here.  They  are  both  found  in  the  Liber  Niger  Quaternus,  a 
fifteenth  century  chartulary  compiled  from  earlier  books  and  containing 
a  series  of  notes  written  at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century  by  a  monk 
who  was  contemporary  with  Abbot  Litlyngton. 

Here  we  are  told  that  '  Walter  Warfelde  the  cellarer  caused  both  the 
gates  of  TothuU  to  be  made  at  his  own  costs  and  charges ;  but  Nicholas 
Litlyngton  the  abbot  made  for  twenty  pounds  the  wall  between  the 
abbot's  camera  and  the  prison;  and  William  Mordon,  the  warden  of 
the  works,  afterwards  furnished  the  said  wall  with  battlements.'  The 


12 


The  Abbot's  House 


author  of  this  paragraph  could  not  fill  in  the  exact  year  of  King 
Edwaixl  Ill's  reign :  but  by  comparing  the  abbot's  and  cellarer's 
accounts  we  can  gather  that  this  wall  was  built  in  1367 — 8,  that  is 
to  say,  four  years  before  the  abbot's  new  camera  was  completed.  The 
date  offers  no  difficulty  now  that  we  know  that  the  new  camera  was 
only  a  reconstruction  and  not  an  entirely  fresh  piece  of  building^ 

The  other  reference  is  a  gossiping  story  of  the  cloister,  which  we 
must  hope  is  patient  of  a  less  sinister  interpretation  than  our  author 
puts  upon  it.  When  his  house  was  built,  the  abbot  asked  the  prior  and 
convent  to  let  him  have  some  of  the  lead  which  had  come  off  the  old 
part  of  the  church  to  roof  in  his  new  buildings,  and  he  promised  not  to 
forget  the  favour  when  occasion  should  arise.  Now  it  happened  that 
monies  came  from  abroad  as  part  of  Simon  Langham's  legacy,  and  were 
deposited  in  the  vestry  under  two  keys,  one  of  which  was  held  by  the 
abbot,  and  the  other  by  some  person  unnamed — presumably  another 
executor.  This  treasure  was  needed  and  used;  but  the  convent  were 
not  aware  of  it,  and  accordingly  having  need  of  money  they  proposed  to 
the  abbot  that  they  should  be  allowed  to  have  some  of  this  in  return  for 
their  lead.  The  abbot  cheerfully  acquiesced ;  but,  when  Richard  Merston 
the  prior  came  with  the  brethren  to  get  it,  they  found  no  more  than  a 
hundred  shillings.  So  were  they  frustrated  and  deceived,  and  got 
nothing  for  their  lead  unto  this  day  I 

1  Lib.  Nig.  f.  79  b:  '  De  Porta  Abbathie  versus  Tothull,  etc.  Anno  regni  regis  Edwardi 
tertii... usque,  ..Frater  Waltcrus  Waifelde  Celararius  fieri  fecit  utramque  portam  de  Tothull 
cum  pertinentibus  sumptibus  suis  et  expensis :  sed  dns  Nicholaus  Litlyngton  Abbas 
de  xxii.  fecit  inurum  inter  Cameram  Abbatis  et  prisonam :  Willelmus  Mordon  custos 
operis  postea  dictum  murum  embatilavit.' 

Comp.  Walcott,  Memorials  of  Westminster,  p.  273  :  '  The  Gatehouse,  once  the  principal 
approach  to  the  monastery,  stood  at  the  western  entrance  of  Tothill-street,  and  consisted 
of  two  gates, — the  southern  leading  out  of  Great  Dean's  Yard,  a  receptacle  for  felons. 
On  the  east  side  was  the  Bishop  of  London's  prison  for  Clerks-convict ;  and  the  rooms 
over  the  other  gate  adjoining,  but  towards  the  west,  were  for  offenders  committed  from 
the  Liberties  or  City  of  Westminster.'    This  Gatehouse  was  pulled  down  in  1777. 

The  next  entry  in  the  Liber  Niger  shews  that  Abbot  Litlyngton  was  only  rebuilding 
a  former  Gatehouse,  which  had  also  served  as  a  prison.  It  is  a  summary  of  a  grant  by 
Simon  Langham  confirming  to  Agnes  Crips  a  grant,  formerly  made  without  the  abbot's 
knowledge  or  consent,  of  a  piece  of  land  next  the  gaol,  reserving  eight  feet  square  for 
a  via  de  gradibus  ibidem  ponendis  for  bringing  in  and  out  felons  :  dated  5  Mar.  24  Edw.  III. 

2  Lib.  Nig.  f.  80  b.    See  below,  Illustr.  Doc.  D. 


III.    SUBSEQUENT  DEVELOPMENTS. 


The  stately  mansion  thus  completed  by  Abbot  Litlyngton  remained 
unaltered,  so  far  as  we  can  tell,  for  the  next  hundred  years.  An 
interesting  reference  to  it  occurs  in  Abbot  Esteney's  time  (1474 — 98). 
Elizabeth  Wydville,  the  queen  of  Edward  IV,  had  taken  sanctuary  here 
on  two  occasions.  And  on  the  accession  of  Henry  VII  the  widowed 
queen  obtained  a  lease  of  the  house  from  the  abbot ;  but  whether  she 
entered  into  possession  may  be  questioned,  as  she  was  soon  afterwards 
sent  to  the  abbey  of  Bermondsey,  where  she  died  in  1492.  The  house 
is  described  in  the  lease  as  the  mansion  of  Cheynegates^. 

From  1500  to  1532  John  Islip  was  abbot,  and  by  him,  if  tradition 
be  true,  the  first  important  addition  was  made.  He  constructed  a  set 
of  chambers,  two  storeys  high,  on  the  north  side  of  the  courtyard, 
swallowing  up  a  portion  of  Litlyngton's  gallery,  but  not  removing  its 
substructures.  This  new  building,  which  includes  Jericho  Parlour  and 
the  rooms  above  and  below,  he  carried  round  the  east  side  of  the  tower, 
making  chambers  between  it  and  the  first  buttress  of  the  nave,  and 
opening  an  oriel  window  into  the  church  itself  To  Islip  also  we  must 
attribute  a  modification  of  the  entrance  archway  leading  into  the  court- 
yard ;  for  its  somewhat  peculiar  vaulting,  with  plain  round  bosses,  closely 
corresponds  to  that  of  the  gateway  of  the  Bloody  Tower  in  the  Tower  of 
London,  which  belongs  to  the  early  part  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

At  the  Dissolution  the  abbot's  house  was  granted  to  the  newly 
constituted  bishop  of  Westminster.  His  grant,  which  is  dated  20  Jan. 
1541,  contains  an  interesting  description  of  the  house  with  various 
measurements  of  its  extent''^.  The  former  abbot,  William  Boston,  who 
now,  as  William  Benson,  became  the  first  dean,  found  a  residence  in 
what  had  been,  as  we  shall  see,  the  prior's  house,  south  of  the  refectory, 
on  the  site  where  Ashburnham  House  now  stands^. 

The  bishopric  of  Westminster  lasted  no  more  than  ten  years,  and 
when  Bishop  Thirlby  I'emoved  to  Norwich  the  abbot's  place  passed  into 
lay  hands.  It  was  granted  on  30  May  1550,  to  Lord  Wentworth,  a  first 
cousin  of  the  Protector  Somerset.  Lord  Wentworth  died  in  March  1551, 

'  See  below,  Illustr.  Doc.  E.  2  p-, 

^  The  site  of  the  prior's  house  is  discussed  below,  ibid.  H. 


14 


The  Abbot's  House 


and  the  house  came  to  his  son,  the  second  Lord  Wentworth,  soon  to 
become  notorious  for  the  surrender  of  Calais. 

The  return  of  the  monks  under  Abbot  Feckenham  at  the  end  of  1556 
involved  the  ejection  of  the  lay  proprietor,  who  was  compensated  with 
the  manor  of  Canonbury:  his  surrender  is  dated  31  May  1557.  But 
for  this  short-lived  restoration  of  the  abbot  it  is  possible  that  the  . .  use 
would  still  be  occupied  to-day  by  some  noble  or  wealthy  intruder. 

Queen  Elizabeth  gave  back  the  entire  site  of  the  abbey  to  the  dean 
and  chapter  by  a  charter  dated  21  May  1560,  and  thereupon  the  abbot's 
house  became  the  deanery.  The  earlier  deans — Bill,  Goodman  and 
Andrews — appear  to  have  made  no  structural  changes;  but  in  1606 
Dean  Neile  built  '  for  the  bettering  of  the  Deane's  lodginge '  a  small 
building  next  to  Islip's  over  the  north  end  of  the  gallery.  It  contained 
two  chambers  made  of  lath  and  plaster  like  the  gallery  itself  The 
portion  of  it  which  was  directly  above  the  gallery  still  remains  as  a 
diminutive  bedroom :  the  rest  was  lost  in  a  further  reconstruction  more 
than  a  century  later  ^. 

The  year  1550  had  seen  the  bishop  disappear  and  the  house  pass  to 
Lord  Wentworth :  in  1650  the  dean  had  disappeared  and  the  house  had 
passed  to  '  Lord  Bradshawe.'  In  a  paper  bearing  his  signature  and  dated 
'  22°  10'"''^  1652  '  he  says  :  '  I  was  settled  there  by  the  Parliament  at  the 
tryall  of  the  King  and  Lords,  and  was  tenant  in  possession  when  the 
Governors  were  appointed.'  Nevertheless  he  had  to  come  to  terms  with 
'  the  Governors  of  the  School  and  Almshouses  of  the  late  Colledge  of 
Westminster,'  who  had  succeeded  to  the  dean  and  prebendaries,  and 
who  were  determined  to  get  a  fair  rent  for  what  is  described  in  his 
lease  as  '  the  Colledge,  or  the  late  Deane's  house 

Although  little  of  his  work  remains  quite  as  he  left  it,  Bradshaw 
made  considerable  alterations  and  additions,  expending  the  large  sum  of 
£760.  From  his  lease  we  learn  that  he  not  only  occupied  the  '  Tower 
Chamber,'  which  still  bears  his  name,  at  the  end  of  the  south  triforium 
of  the  church,  but  also  built  rooms  '  upon  the  Two  Towers  adjoining  to 
the  said  Church.'  This  puzzling  statement  is  at  once  explained  when 
we  look  at  a  drawing  by  King  in  the  first  edition  of  Dugdale's  Monasticun, 
where  we  see  what  appear  to  be  two  wooden  boxes  with  a  bridge  between 
them  on  the  south-east  and  south-west  turrets  of  the  unfinished  south- 
west tower.  We  further  gather  from  the  lease  that  he  occupied  the 
lodgings  over  the  south-west  corner  of  the  cloister,  formerly  in  the 
tenure  of  the  late  Mr  Pay  the  auditor;  and  the  house  opposite,  over 

1  See  below,  lUuUr.  Doc.  J.  nos.  1—8,  23,  24.  Ibid.  J.  nos.  18—20. 


Subsequent  Develop  men  ftf 


15 


the  east  cloister  walk,  part  of  which  came  down  within  the  cloister 
garth.  The  former  of  these,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  grant  to  Bishop 
Thirlby  and  was  reconstructed  by  Dean  Williams,  has  since  remained 
incorporated  in  the  deanery  \:  the  latter  was  pulled  down  in  the 
eighteenth  centur}\ 

The  bills  of  the  workmen  shew  us  that  Bradshaw  built  a  new  kitchen, 
turning  the  old  one  into  a  servants'  dining-room  ;  and  that  he  constructed 
a  new  dining-room  and  a  great  staircase.  Subsequent  changes  have 
made  it  difficult  to  identify  the  whole  of  his  work  with  exactness,  but  it 
is  plain  that  he  must  have  vastly  increased  the  comfort  of  the  house. 
His  wife  died  in  it  about  the  end  of  1655,  and  he  followed  her  on 
22  Nov.  1659,  six  months  before  the  king's  return. 

Dean  Sprat  in  1683  built  a  new  room  off  the  gallery,  and  Atterbury, 
his  successor  (1713 — 23),  added  a  similar  room  to  the  north  of  it, 
destroying  in  the  process  a  portion  of  the  chambers  built  a  century 
before  by  Dean  Neile.  These  two  rooms,  which  have  for  long  been 
known  as  the  Red  Rooms,  are  the  last  addition  made  to  the  house. 
Atterbury  did  further  service  in  rescuing  from  an  almost  ruinous  state 
the  two  rooms  over  the  entrance  to  the  cloister,  one  of  which  then  bore 
the  name  of  the  'Abbots  Roome  now  Butler  and  Cookes  Chamber,' 
while  the  other,  west  of  it,  was  called  the  '  Landry'-.'  Some  fine  decora- 
tive work  belongs  to  the  period  of  Dean  Wilcocks  (1731 — 1756),  and 
some  modern  conveniences  were  added  by  Dean  Bradley  (1881 — 1902). 

A  gallery  with  chambers  connected  with  it,  running  west  from 
Jerusalem  Chamber  towards  the  Gatehouse,  has  wholly  disappeared. 
It  existed  before  the  Dissolution  and  apparently  until  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century^.  With  this  exception  the  old  house  of  the 
abbots,  as  Litlyngton  rebuilt  it  and  Islip  enlarged  it,  remains  in  its 
completeness  to-day,  although  portions  of  it  are  obscured  by  the  later 
structures  which  have  grown  up  about  it  in  the  following  centuries. 

1  These  rooms  are  traditionally  called  the  Tudor  Rooms :  that  they  are  of  yet  earlier 
date  is  shewn  by  a  reference  to  their  repairs  in  1482 — 3  (in  repar'  unius  doinus  ex  parte 
occidentali  dicti  claustri  et  J'actiir'  itniiis  itovi  guttur'  ibidem).  See  Mr  Rackham's  'Nave 
of  Westminster,'  Froc.  of  Brit.  Acad.  vol.  iv,  p.  39 :  and  note  also  a  reference  to 
Cheynygates,  ibid.  p.  45  n. 

2  Plan  of  1715:  but  in  the  plan  of  1718  they  are  called  respectively  'Library'  and 
'  Anty  Chamber.' 

^  Reference  to  this  gallery  is  made  below,  lUiistr.  Doc.  J.  no.  25.  This  is  probably  the 
gallery  in  which  Lord  Keeper  Williams  had  an  interview  with  the  Spanish  ambassador's 
secretary,  as  described  by  Bishop  Hacket  in  his  Life  of  Williams,  i.  198:  'with  a  seeming 
unwillingness  it  was  allowed  him,  keeping  a  cautious  limit,  not  to  make  his  Visit  till  Eleven 
of  the  Clock  that  Night,  and  by  the  back  door  of  the  Garden,  where  a  Servant  should 
receive  him.    He  came  at  his  hour,  and  being  brought  into  a  Gallery,'  &c. 


IV.    ILLUSTRATIVE  DOCUMENTS  AND  NOTES. 


A. 

Flete's  Description  of  Litlyngton's  Building  Operations. 

Hujus  abbatis  tempore  et  industria  aedificata  sunt  a  fundamentis 
de  novo  tota  placea  abbatis  juxta  ecclesiam ;  dimidium  autem  claustri 
ex  partibus  occidente  et  australi ;  domus  quorumdam  officiariorum,  ut 
puta  ballivi,  infirmarii,  sacristae  et  celerarii ;  magnum  malthous  cum 
turri  ibidem ;  molendinum  aquaticum  et  le  dam  cum  muris  lapideis, 
cum  clausura  lapidea  gardini  infirmariae  {Hist,  of  Westrn.  p.  135). 


B. 

Summaries  and  Specimens  from  Litlyngton's  Accounts. 
1.    Summary  of  payments  for  the  Abbot's  House. 


1362—  3  \ 

1363—  4  I  "Work  above  cloister 

1364—  5  ]   (paid  to  John  Mordon) 


1367—  8  )  Work  about  great  gate 

1368—  9  S  (paid  to  Walter  Warfeld) 


1370—  1  1 

1371—  2 

1372—  3 

1373—  4 

1374—  5 


1377—  8 

1378—  9  J 

1379—  80 

1380—  1 


Novum  edificium 

(paid  to  Walter  Warfeld) 


{nU) 

Towards  wall  uext  great  gate 
(paid  to  William  Mordon) 


* 

15 

0 

0 

14 

8 

7 

20 

0 

0 

* 

42 

0 

8 

118 

0 

0 

80 

6 

41 

12 

4 

2 

1 

10 

31 

10 

0 

19 

9 

7 

1382—  3       {nil)  .    ■  ■ 

1383—  4  I  Little  cloister,  or  Aley  5-11 

1384—  5  /(paid  to  William  Mordon  and  Richard  Tournor)  66-   6  •  llJ 


29 


335 
3 


0  •  0 


13  •  10^ 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


17 


The  years  run  from  Michaelmas  to  Michaelmas.  The  asterisks  indicate  years  in 
which  mention  is  made  only  of  gi-atuities  to  workmen  engaged  on  the  work  in 
question.  In  the  rolls  preserved  for  1379 — 80  and  1382 — 3  no  payments  are  made 
for  the  work.    For  six  years  out  of  the  twenty-three  the  rolls  are  missing. 

In  1375 — 6  {Munim.  18,858)  Walter  Warfeldthe  cellarer  renders  account  shewing 
that  out  of  £145.  16s.  received  by  him  he  has  spent  £101.  85.  bd.  (see  below,  p.  19). 

2.    Extracts  relating  to  Litlyngton's  building  operations. 

1362 —  3.    John  Lakyngheth,  Gustos  hospicii  {Munim.  24,510). 

Item  dat'  ojjerantibus  in  camera  super  claustrum  apud  Westm'  precepto 
domini.  vjd. 

1363—  4.    J.  L.,  Thesaurarius  abbatis  (24,261). 

Et  fratri  J.  Murdon  pro  factura  novi  edificii  juxta  claustrum.   xvti.  per  tall'. 
Et  servienti  de  Denham  pro  factura  novi  edificii  ibidem,    xxxti.  vs.  vjd. 
Et  preposito  de  Periford  pro  emendacione  aule  et  camerarum  ibidem, 
xti.  xiijs.  viijd. 

1364—  5.    J.  L.,  Custos  hospicii  (24,511). 

Et  J.  Mordon  pro  factura  operis  in  introitu  claustri.  cs. 
Et  eidem  pro  factura  dicti  operis  per  manus  domini.    ixti.  viijs.  vijd. 
Et  Roberto  Broun  servienti  de  Denham  per  tall'  pro  factura  novi  edificii. 
xxjti.  iijs.  ijd. 

1367—  8.    J.  L.,  Gustos  hospicii  (24,512). 

Et  comp'  se  liberasse  Roberto  Broun  servienti  de  Denham,  ut  in  diversis 
custibus  factis  circa  novam  edificacionem  ibidem,  et  circa  clausuram  parci,  et 
in  denariis,  ut  patet  per  parcel?.    Ivjti.  xijs.  vijd.  ob.  per  tall'. 

Et  supradicto  fratri  Waltero  Warfeld  pro  opere  nove  porte  Abathie.  xxti. 

1368—  9.    J.  L.,  Gustos  hospicii  (24,513). 

Et  dat'  fabro  apud  portam  abbathie  Westm'  precepto  domini.  iiijd. 
(Spent  on  Denham — domus,  pons,  fossa — £92.) 

1370—  1.    J.  L.,  Gustos  hospicii  (24,514). 

Et  comp'  se  liberasse  fratri  Waltero  de  Warefeld  precepto  domini  pro  opere 
novi  edificii  apud  Westm'.    xlijti.  viijd. 

1371  (vigil  of  Mich,  to  26  Oct.).    J.  L.,  Thesaurarius  abbatis  (24,514  b). 
Et  Waltero  Warefeld  pro  opere  novi  edificii  apud  Westm'.  xviijti. 

1371 —  2.    Richard  Fortheye,  Glencus  coquinae  (24,515). 

Et  in  v  ulnis  de  canafas  emp'  pro  fenestr'  nove  camere  domini  apud  Westm', 
precio  ulne.  vd.  ob.,  ijs.  iijd.  ob. 

Et  dat'  cementario  apud  Westm'  precepto  domini.    iijs.  iiijd. 

Et  lib'  fratri  Waltero  de  Warefeld  pro  novo  edificio  apud  Westm'.  cti. 
per  tall'. 

R.  2 


18 


The  Abbot's  House 


1372 —  3.    Richard  Fortheye,  Clericus  coquinae  (24,516). 

Et  lib'  fratri  Waltero  Warefeld  pro  edificacione  apud  Westm'  per  ij  tall', 
iiijti.  vjs.  iijd. 

1373 —  4.    William  Colchester,  Gustos  hospicii  (24,517). 

Et  ortolano  Westm'  causa  laboris  sui  in  novo  edificio  domini  ibidem, 
iijs.  iiijd. 

Et  lib'  fratri  Waltero  Warfeld  pro  nova  edificacione  apud  Westm',  ut  patet 
per  parcellas.    xjti.  xijs.  iiijd. 

Et  lib'  Waltero  Warfeld  pro  dicto  novo  edificio  per  manus  domini.  xxti. 
Et  lib'  eidem  Waltero  Warfeld.  xti. 

1374 —  5.    Richard  Fortheye,  Clericus  coquinae  (24,618). 

Item  lib'  fratri  Waltero  Warfeld  in  cariac°  meremii  usque  Westm'.   xljs.  xd. 

1377—  8.    Thesaurarius  abbatis  (24,520). 

Et  fratri  Waltero  Warfeld  pro  novo  edificio  apud  Westm'.    xxxjti.  xs. 

1378—  9.    Thesaurarius  abbatis  (24,521). 

Et  fratri  Waltero  Warfeld  pro  novo  edificio  apud  Westm'.    xixti.  ixs.  vijd. 
1380 — 1.    Thesaurarius  abbatis  (24,528). 

Et  fratri  Willelmo  Mordon  in  auxilio  muri  juxta  portam  Westm'.   Ixvjs.  viijd. 

1383 —  4.    Thesaurarius  abbatis  (24,532). 

Et  eidem  [sc.  Willelmo  Mordon]  pro  uno  novo  fundamento  in  gard'  Westm'. 
vs.  xjd. 

1384—  5.    Thesaurarius  abbatis  (24,532*  d). 

Et  solut'  R.  Tournor  tarn  pro  factura  parvi  claustri  infra  mausionem  abbatis 
quam  pro  meremio  ad  idem,  xxvti.  preter  robam  suam  precio  xjs.  vijd.  ex 
couvencione.  et  solut'  ij  hominibus  latthantibus  dictum  claustrum.  ixs.  ijd. 
in  dorenayl',  wyndownayl',  lathenalP  empt'  ad  idem,  xxviijs.  xid.  ob.  et  solut' 
dalbator'  pro  dalbac'  et  pargettac'  murorum  et  aree  dicti  claustri  in  grosso,  una 
cum  potac'  post  prandium.  Ijs.  et  solut'  pro  xxvj  carect'  argill'  cum  cariag" 
ejusdem.  vjs.  vjd.  in  di' calc' adust' em^jf  pro  opere  predicto.  iijs.  et  .solut' 
fratri  Willelmo  Mordon  pro  petris  et  factura  duorum  hostiorum  ad  utrumque 
finem  diet'  Aley,  in  iij  paribus  vertynell'  cum  iij  serruris  et  clavibus,  latthes  et 
aliis  appendiciis  empt'  ad  idem.  xxs.  in  m  hertlatthes  empt'  preter  ilia  que 
Ric.  Tournour  invenit.  vjs.  viijd.  et  solut'  pro  vj  wails  plumbi  j  quartron. 
xxxiijti.  vjs.  viijd.   et  solut'  pro  Iti.  soudur'.  xxvs. 

Summa  Ixvjti.  vjs.  xjd.  ob. 

These  extracts  shew  us  that  in  1364  the  abbot  was  engaged  in 
building  another  house  at  Denham.  The  work  went  on  till  1369  and 
cost  him  £150  in  the  years  for  which  accounts  are  preserved.    We  find 


•  I.e.  half  a  hundred. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


19 


him  residing  there  in  1375 — 6,  at  the  time  of  his  correspondence  with 
Simon  Langham  at  Avignon  regarding  the  rebuilding  of  the  nave  of 
the  church. 

It  appears  then  that,  having  set  in  order  the  abbot's  camera  over 
the  new  entrance  to  the  cloister,  he  proceeded  to  build  his  great  manor- 
house  at  Denham,  and  then  in  1370  began  his  novum  edificium  at 
Westminster  which  took  nine  years  to  build,  and  which  cost  him,  if  we 
make  allowance  for  several  missing  rolls,  about  £450. 

The  following  is  the  account  of  Walter  Warfeld  to  which  reference 
has  already  been  made. 


Empcio 
lapidum. 


Munim.  18,859  (1375—6). 

Compotus  fratris  Walteri  de  Warfeld  celerarii  Westm'  de  omnibus  receptis 
et  expensis  operis  domini  abbatis  Westm'  a  festo  sancti  Michaelis 
anno  xlix°  usque  idem  festum  anno  quinquagesimo. 
In  primis  r'  de  injti.  rec'  de  abbate  per  unam  talliam.    Et  de  xls.  rec' 
de  domino  Johanne  de  Blockele  sine  tallia.    Et  de  xixti.  xixs.  iiijd.  rec' 
de  fratre  Johanne  Lakynghyt  ballivo  pro  Ian'  domiui  sine  tallia.    Et  de 
xxvjs.  viijd.  rec'  pro  lan'^  angn'^.    Et  de  xxti.  rec'  de  domino  priore  sine 
tallia.    Et  de  vjti.  rec'  de  Waltero  Page  de  arr'  suo  per^  talliam.    Et  de 
vijti.  rec'  de  Willelmo  Carter  nuper  ballivo  de  la  Hyde  per^  talliam.  Et 
de  xs.  i"ec'  de  pomis  de  la  curtyl  hoc  anno  venditis.    Et  ixti.  rec'  de 
Willelmo  Carter  nuper  ballivo  de  la  Hyde  de  arr"  suo  sine  tallia. 
Summa  recepte  cxlvti.  xvjs. 
Expens'. 

In  primis  solut'  pro  iiijo^'  batell'  de  Ragg'  emp'  cvjs.  viijd.  prec'  batell' 
xxvjs.  viijd.  Et  in  ij  batell'  lapid'  de  Reygate  emp'  iiijti.  Et  in  car'  per 
aquam  iiijs.  Et  in  una  batell'  de  calc'  emp'  xiijs.  iiijd.  Et*  de  iij  batell' 
lajiid'  de  Reygate  rec'  de  Willelmo  Mordon  nil  quia  in  comp'  ejusdem 
Willelmi^.    Et  solut'  pro  car'  vjs. 

Summa  xti.  xs. 

Et  solut'  Johanni  Mason  per  x  septimanas  xxsvjs.  viijd.  cap'  per 
septimanam  iijs.  viijd.  Et  solut'  alio  cementario  conducto  per  xxj  diem® 
pro  cap'  fact'  in  aula'  xxjs.  cap'  per  diem  xijd.  Et  in  emendacione  instru- 
mentorum  cementar'  et  cubitor'  per  vices  xxd. 

Summa  lixs.  iiijd. 

Et  solut'  ij  cubitor'^  per  xj  septimanas  operantibus  super  raurum  juxta 
gardinum  et  in  aliis  locis^  Ixxiijs.  iiijd.  cuilibet  per  septimanam  iijs.  iiijd. 


A  =  iV!tn.  18,858,  the  first  draft  of  this  account. 

Manis  A.  ^  angn  =  agninis(?).  ^perj  +  unamA.  *  F.t  cancelled. 

'  nil — Willelmi]  inserted  between  the  lines  :  am.  A.  diem]  so  also  A. 

'  aula]  +  domini  A.  *  cubitor']  +  conduct'  added  between  lines  A. 

*  locis]  +  necessariis  added  between  lines  A. 

2—2 


20 


The  Abbot's  House 


Carpent'. 


Custus 
dom'. 


Expens' 
forinsec', 


Et  in  ij  labor'  conduct'  per  xj  septimanas  operantibus  cum  cubitoribus 
xxxvjs.  viijd.  cuilibet  per  septimanam  xxd.  Et  in  alio  labor'  conduct'  per 
iij  septimanas  pro  mundacione  mur'  aule  vs.  cap'  per  septimanam  ssd. 
Et  in  dcccc  et  di'  calc'  adust'  emp"  Ixiijs.  iiijd.  prec'  c  vjs.  viiijd. 

Summa  viijti.  xviijs.  iiijd. 
Et  solut'  diversis  carpent'  conduct'  pro  factura  aule  xlixti.  xs.  ixd. 
Et  in  ccc  de  estrichebord'  emp'  Ixxs.  vjd.  prec'  c  xxiijs.  vjd.  Et  in  cc 
de  estrichebord'  emp'  xlviijs.  viijd.  prec'  c  xxiiijs.  iiijd.  Et  in  ij  Eygold- 
bordys  emp'  x\'jd.  Et  in  mmmd  clav'^  emp'  pro  aula  xxvjs.  iijd.  prec'  c 
ixd.  Et  in  c  clav'  emp'  pro  aliis  necessariis  factis  vjd.  Et  in  mmmm  de 
parvis  clav'  emp'  pro  aula  xiijs.  iiijd.  prec'  c  iiijd.  Et  in  soundys  emp' 
xiiijd.  Et  in3  ij  sarrator'  conduct'  per  liij  dies  et  di'  Ixjs.  xjd.  cap'  per 
diem  xiiijd.  Et  solut'  pro  mdccclxvj  pedibus  de  bordys  sarrand'  per  vices 
xxiiijs.  viijd.  cap'*  pro  c  xvjd.  Et  solut'  Willelmo  Wyntryngham  vijti. 
Et  in  xiiij  paribus  ceroticar'  emp'  pro  carpent'  ijs.  iiijd.  Et  in  earn'  emp' 
pro  dictis  carpent'  iijs.  vjd.  Et  in  cam'  piss'  emp'  pro  Willelmo  Wyntryng- 
ham per  vices  iijs.  iiijd. 

Summa  IxixK.  viijs.  iijd. 
In  primis  solut'  Johanni  Payable  vitriator'  pro  fenestris  vitriat'  in  aula 
viijti.  Et  solut'  pro,  j  pari  hengys  pro  ostio  juxta  ostium  coquine  xijd. 
Et  in  ij  hokys  emp'  pro  dicto  ostio  iiijd.  Et  in  ij  hokys  emp'  pro  ostio 
juxta  ostium  gardini  iiijd.  Et  in  iij  barwys  emp'  iiijs.  Et  in  ij  tribul' 
emp'  xviijd. 

Summa  viijti.  vijs.  ijd.^ 

Et  solut'  «  pro  car'  meremii  a  Pyreford  usque  Westm'  xxd.  Et 

solut'  pro  lavacione  de  ledhassyn  xs.  Et  solut'  pro  car'  unius  hauke  a 
sancta  Katerina  usque  Westm'  pro  la  vermin  per  aquam  iiijd. 

Summa  xijs. 
Et  solut'  pro  pitanc'  sancti  Nicholai  xiijs.  iiijd. 

Summa  xiijs.  iiijd. 
Summa  totalis  expens'  cjti.  viijs.  vd.    Et  debet  xliiijti.  vijs.  vijd. 


C. 

The  Six  Oaks  requested  for  the  Abbot  by  the  King. 
Cambridge  University  Library,  MS  Dd.  3.  53,  p.  93. 

C  De  Treacher  en  dieu.    Autrefoiz  pur  la  necessite  quel  nostre 

mTeremii^  cher  en  dieu  labbe  de  Westmonster  qest  en  fesant  vne  Sale  de 
nouel  en  labbacie  de  Westmonster  ad  de  sys  triefs  appelles 
bemes  pur  la  dite  Sale  et  nad  en  nulle  de  ses  boys  ne  ne  poet 

'  emp']  +  pro  cubitor'  A.         *  mangn'  clav'  (  =  niagnis  elavis)  A.  ^  j^j  goiuf 

■*  om.  cap'  A.  '  The  rest  of  this  roll  is  missing:  what  follows  is  from  A. 

'  A  proper  name  is  here  cancelled. 


Illustrative  Documents  ami  Notes 


21 


trouer  nulle  part  es  parties  enuiron  sys  tieles  arbres  cheisnes 
come  busoignent  pur  les  triefs  auantditz  sicome  il  nous  ad 
certeinement  dit  vous  priasmes  que  vous  lui  vorriez  eider  de 
sys  tieles  arbres  en  vn  vostre  boys  expressez  es  ditz  lettres. 
Et  porce  que  nous  nauons  puis  fou  (?ouir)  si  vous  eiez  parfaite 
nostre  dite  priere  ou  nemie,  Vous  de  rechief  especialment  et  de 
cuer  que  vous  lui  veullez  eider  de  sys  tieux  triefs  en  vostre  dit 
boys  par  la  cause  auantdite  pur  amour  de  nous  et  par  considera- 
cion  de  noz  prieres.  En  quel  chose  fesant  vous  nous  ferrez 
plein  plesir,  paront  nous  vous  volons  sauoir  bone  gree.  Si  vous 
veullez  certifier  par  voz  lettres  par  le  portour  de  cestes  de  ce 
que  vous  eut  veullez  faire.   don'  etc. 

This  letter  comes  from  a  Formulary,  or  book  of  examples — 
a  Complete  Letter- writer — which  contains  many  items  which 
clearly  belong  to  the  time  of  King  Richard  II.  The  king  requests 
an  unnamed  correspondent  to  give  the  abbot  of  Westminster 
six  oaks  from  his  wood,  also  unnamed,  for  the  beams  of  his  new 
hall.  We  can  hardly  doubt  that  the  abbot  is  Nicholas  Litlyngton. 

The  scribe  has  evidently  not  understood  the  meaning  of  what 
he  -wrote.  For  this  transcript  I  am  indebted  to  Mr  Alfred  Rogers 
of  the  University  Library. 

D. 

The  Story  of  the  Lead  lent  to  the  Abbot. 

De  plunibo  prestito  abbati  N.  L.  per  conventum  et  non  restaurato. 
Item  circa  idem  tempus  diis  Nicholaus  Litelton  tunc  abbas  Westm', 
cum  perfecisset  structuram  edificii  sui  novi  in  placea  sua  apud  Westm', 
peciit  a  conventu  habere  partem  plumbi  veteris  ecclesie  ad  operiendum 
edificium  suum  novum,  promittens  eis  quod  in  aliis  postmodum  agendis 
proficere  vellet  conventui  in  valore  talionis  &c.  erat  enim  idem  dris 
abbas  unus  de  executoribus  testamenti  din  Simonis  dudum  cardinalis : 
qui  videlicet  diis  cardinalis  paulo  ante  obitum  suum  multa  bona  legavit 
conventui  et  ecclesie  Westm' :  ac  inter  cetera  quidam  transmarinus  et 
alii  attulerant  ad  Westm'  per  vices  in  denariis  thesaurum  ad  summam 
ducentarum  librarum,  que  reposite  fuerunt  in  vestibulo  Westm'  sub 
duobus  clavibus,  unde  una  fuit  in  custodia  dicti  Nicholai  L.  abbatis 
et  alia  in  custodia  dicti  cumque  speraret  conventus  habere  illam 


22 


The  Ahhofs  House 


summam  quia  de  motione  et  voluntate  dicti  N.  L.  abbatis  conces- 
serunt  eidem  plumbum  ecclesie  supradictum  ad  operimentum  novi 
edificii  sui.  quod  cum  factum  fuisset  dicti  executores  prefati  cardinalis 
statute  quodam  die  venerunt  et  acceperunt  thesaurum  predictum 
nesciente  conventu.  et  cum  quadam  die  prior  et  conventus  Westm' 
pecierunt  dnm  N.  L.  abbatem  pro  quibusdam  negociis  suis  subsidium 
et  relevamen  habere  de  pecuniis  in  thesauro  cardinalis — quod  cum 
dictus  abbas  unus  executor  libenter  eis  annueret,  venerunt  prior 
Ricardus  Merston  <et  conventus>  sperantes  ibidem  pecunias  habuisse; 
sed  tamen  omnino  frustrati  sunt  et  decepti.  nam  infra  cistam  thesauri 
predicti  vix  invenierunt  C.s.  et  sic  nil  habuerunt  pro  toto  plumbo 
supradicto.    {Liher  Niger,  f.  80  h.) 

The  vague  note  of  time,  'circa  idem  tempus,'  is  probably  to  be 
rendered  definite  by  the  following  entry  among  the  recepta  in  the 
abbot's  treasurer's  account  for  1378 — 9 :  '  Et  de  mjti  de  officio  sacriste 
Westm'  in  xij  charres  plumbi.' 

In  the  summary  of  treasurers'  accounts  (Lib.  Nig.  i  145  f )  we  are 
told  that  in  1383 — 4  John  Lakyngheth  received  £200  from  the  internal 
treasurer  for  doing  certain  matters  to  the  profit  of  the  church.  Prob- 
ably this  is  the  reason  why  the  treasury  was  empty. 

E. 

The  Lease  to  the  Widowed  Queen. 

This  eindenture  made  bitwene  John  by  the  sufferaunce  of  god  Abbot 
of  the  Monastery  of  seint  Peter  of  Westm""  the  Priour  and  covent  of  the 
same  of  the  one  partie  And  the  most  high  and  excellent  Princesse 
Elizabeth  by  the  grace  of  god  Quene  of  England  late  wyf  to  the  moost 
mighty  Prince  of  famous  memore  Edward  the  iiij''^  late  Kyng  of  Englond 
and  of  Fraunce  and  lord  of  Irelond  on  the  other  partie  Witnesseth 
that  the  forsaid  Abbot  Priour  and  Covent  consideryng  and  wele  re- 
membryng  that  the  forsaid  excellent  and  noble  pryncesse  in  the  tyme 
of  her  said  late  husbond  our  alder  liege  lord  was  unto  the  said  Monastery 
verry  especiall  good  lord  aswele  in  protectyng  and  defendyng  the  libertes 
&  fFrauncheses  of  the  same  as  in  bountevous  and  largely  departyng  of 
her  goods  to  the  edifying  and  reparacions  of  the  ffabrice  of  the  said 
monastery  by  the  hole  assent  concent  &  will  of  all  the  Captre  have 


Ilhistrative  Documents  and  Notes 


2-3 


graunted  dimised  and  to  ferme  letyn  unto  the  forsaid  Quene  a  mansion 
with  in  the  said  Abbey  called  Cheynegatis  Apperteynyng  unto  the 
Abbot  of  the  said  place  for  the  tyme  beyng  with  all  the  Howses 
Chambers  Aisiaments  and  other  Appertenaunces  therunto  belongyng 
To  have  and  hold  the  forsaid  mansion  with  Thappertenaunces  and 
other  premisses  to  the  said  Quene  from  the  fest  of  Ester  last  passed 
before  the  date  herof  unto  thende  of  the  terme  of  xl  yeres  then  next 
folowyng  and  fully  to  be  complete  Yeldyng  therfor  yerely  to  the  same 
Abbot  or  his  successor  or  theire  Assignes  x"  of  lawfull  money  of  Englond 
duryng  the  said  terme  to  be  paid  atte  festis  of  Mighelmas  and  Ester  by 
even  porcions  And  the  forsaid  Quene  at  her  propre  costis  and  Charge 
shall  sufficiently  repaire  uphold  and  mayntene  the  said  mansion  and 
voide  dense  repaire  and  make  the  gutter  goyng  from  the  kechen  of  the 
same  Jis  often  as  shall  be  necessary  and  behovefull  And  atte  ende  of 
her  terme  the  said  mansion  with  Thappertenaunces  sufficiently  repaired 
mayntened  and  upholden  yeld  up  unto  the  forsaid  Abbot  Priour  and 
Covent  and  theire  Successours  Also  it  is  covenanted  and  agreed  bitwne 
the  parties  abovesaid  that  the  said  Quene  shall  in  no  wise  sell  lete 
to  ferme  nor  aliene  her  said  yeres  nor  eny  parte  therof  in  the  said 
mansion  with  Thappertenaunces  to  any  other  person  or  persones  duryng 
the  said  terme  And  the  Abbot  Priour  and  Covent  and  their  successours 
forsaid  the  said  mansion  with  thappertenaunces  to  the  said  Quene  in 
the  manner  and  fourme  aboverehersed  shall  warant  ayenst  all  people  by 
these  presents  Provided  alwayes  that  yf  it  shall  happen  the  same 
Quene  to  dye  within  the  said  terme  of  xl  yeres  as  god  defend  that  then 
this  present  graunt  and  lees  immediately  after  her  decesse  be  voide  and 
of  no  strengthe  And  over  this  it  is  covenanted  and  agreed  that  yf  it 
happen  the  said  Rent  to  be  behynd  unpaid  after  any  terme  of  the  termes 
abovelymytted  in  party  or  in  all  that  is  to  say  the  Rent  of  Mighelmasse 
terme  at  seint  Martyns  day  in  wynter  then  next  folowyng  and  the  Rent 
of  Ester  at  Whitsontyde  then  next  ensuyng  that  then  it  shalbe  leefuU 
to  the  said  Abbot  and  his  Successours  in  the  forsaid  mansion  with  the 
Appertenaunces  to  reentre  And  the  said  Quene  therfrom  to  expelle 
and  put  out  this  lees  and  dimyssyon  notwithstanding  In  Witnesse  &c 
Yeven  the  x  day  of  Juyll  the  yere  of  our  lord  god  mcccclxxxvi  And  the 
first  yere  of  the  reigne  of  kyng  Henry  the  vii'*".    {Register  I.  f  4.) 


24 


The  Abbot's  House 


F. 

The  Grant  to  Bishop  Thirlby. 

Henricus  octavus....Sciatis  quod  nos  de  gracia  nostra  speciali  ac  ex  certa 
sciencia  et  mero  motu  nostris  dedimus  et  concessimus...reverendo  in  Christo  patre 
Thome  episcopo  Westm'  et  siiccessoribus  suis  episcopis  Westm'  imperpetuum  totum 
scitum  et  ambitura  domus  mansionis  et  habitacionis  communiter  vocat'  Cheynygates 
in  Westm'  in  comitatu  nostro  Midd'  in  qua  Willelmus  nuper  abbas  nuper  monasterii 
de  Westm'  inhabitavit  unacum  omnibus  edificiis  domibus  terris  et  solo  infra  dictum 
scitum  et  ambitum  existen'  cum  gardinis  et  ortis  illi  adjacen'  in  quo  quidem  scitu 
sive  ambitu  sunt  quedam  turris  situat'  et  existen'  ad  introitum  diote  habitacionis 
que  quidem  turris  continet  in  longitudine  a  capita  orient' abbuttant'  super  claustrum 
dicti  nuper  monasterii  usque  ad  caput  occiden'  abbuttant'  super  le  Elmes  per 
estimacionem  sexaginta  et  septem  pedes  et  in  latitudine  capitis  occiden'  a  parte 
boriali  usque  ad  partem  austraiem  per  estimacionem  viginti  quatuor  pedes  et  duos 
polices  et  alia  edificia  et  domus  cum  gardinis  et  solo  adjacen'  continen'  per  estima- 
cionem a  turr'  predicta  usque  ad  ecclesiam  dicti  nuper  monasterii  in  latitudine 
capitis  orien'  abbuttant'  super  claustrum  dicti  nuper  monasterii  centum  viginti  et 
quatuor  pedes  et  in  latitudine  capitis  Occident'  abbuttant'  versus  domum  pauperum 
vocat'  the  kynges  almoshouse  centum  sexaginta  et  decern  pedes  ac  in  longitudine 
partis  borialis  abbuttant'  super  ecclesiam  dicti  nuper  monasterii  et  super  stratam 
regiam  vocat'  the  Erode  Sentwarye  ducentas  quinquaginta  et  octo  pedes  et  in  parte 
australi  abbuttan'  super  lez  Elmes  ducentas  triginta  et  novem  pedes.  Ac  eciam 
damus  et  concedimus  prefato  episcopo  et  successoribus  suis  imperpetuum  quartam 
partem  tocius  magni  claustri  dicti  nuper  monasterii  cum  edificiis  scituat'  et  existen. 
super  eadem  que  quidem  quarta  pars  contigue  et  proximo  adjacet  eidem  domui 
mansioni  et  habitacioni  in  Westm'  predict'  ac  omnia  ilia  edificia  et  domos  vocat' 
le  Calbege  et  le  Blackestole  ibidem  que  continet  in  longitudine  a  capite  boriali 
abbutt'  super  predict'  turr'  usque  ad  caput  australe  abbutt'  super  turr'  vocat'  le 
Blackestole  Towour  per  estijnacionem  quaterviginti  et  octo  pedes  ac  omnia  edificia 
terr'  et  sol'  existen'  inter  predicta  edificia  vocat'  le  Calbege  et  le  Blackestole  ex  parte 
occiden'  et  edificia  et  domos  vocat'  le  ffrayter  misericorde  et  magnam  coquinam 
conventualem  voc'  le  greate  covent  kechen  dicti  nuper  monasterii  ex  parte  orient" 
Damus  eciam  et  per  presentes  concedimus  prefato  episcopo  magnam  illam  aliam 
turrim  lapidiam  in  Westm'  predict'  situat'  et  existen'  in  quodam  loco  vulgariter  vocat' 
the  Oxehalle  ac  eciam  magnum  orreum  situat'  et  existen'  in  predicto  loco  vocat'  the 
Oxehalle  et  domos  et  edificia  ilia  existen'  et  situat'  ibidem  inter  magnam  fossam 
vocat'  the  Mylldam  ex  parte  australi  et  predictum  orreum  ex  parte  boriali  ac  omnia 
alia  edificia  domos  ortos  terr*  et  solum  ibidem  situat'  jacen'  et  existen'  inter  dictum 
orreum  et  inter  dictos  domos  et  edificia  ex  parte  occiden'  et  predict'  magnam  turrim 
et  donmm  vocat'  the  longe  Granery  ex  parte  orient'  ac  inter  edificia  et  domos  vocat' 
the  Brewhouse  and  the  Backehouse  dicti  nuper  monasterii  ex  parte  boriali  et  pred' 
magnam  fossam  vocat'  the  Mildam  ex  parte  australi. 

(Extract  from  Munim.  Royal  Charters,  x.  1  :  dated  20  Jan.  1541.) 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes  25 


By  this  charter  there  is  granted  to  the  bishop  the  whole  site  of  the 
mansion  called  Cheynygates  in  Westminster  in  which  the  late  abbot 
dwelt:  namely 

1.  The  tower  at  the  entrance  of  the  said  dwelling,  measuring  in  length,  from 
the  end  next  the  cloister  to  the  end  next  the  Elms,  67  ft. ;  and  in  breadth  at  the 
western  end  24  ft.  2  in. 

2.  The  main  site  of  the  house  and  gardens ;  measuring  on  the  east,  along  the 
cloister  wall  from  the  tower  above-mentioned  to  the  church,  124  ft. :  on  the  west, 
'abutting  towards  the  King's  Almshouse,'  170  ft.:  on  the  north,  first  along  the 
church  and  then  along  the  Broad  Sanctuary,  258  ft. :  on  the  south,  next  the  Elms, 
239  ft. 

The  bishop's  grant  further  includes 

3.  A  fourth  part  of  the  cloister,  with  the  buildings  over  the  same :  that  is  to 
say,  the  west  walk  next  to  his  house. 

4.  The  Calbege  and  Black  Stole,  measuring  from  the  north,  next  the  tower 
above  mentioned,  to  the  south,  up  to  but  not  including  the  Black  Stole  Tower,  88  ft. 

5.  The  site  and  buildings  lying  between  these  on  the  west  and  'le  Frayter 
Misericorde '  and  the  great  convent  kitchen  on  the  east.  [It  is  possible  to  read  '  le 
Frayter,  Misericorde,'  as  separate  terms.] 

6.  The  other  great  stone  tower  in  the  place  called  '  the  Oxehall ' ;  and  the  great 
barn  in  the  Oxehall ;  and  the  buildings  there  situate  between  the  great  ditch  called 
the  Mill-dam  on  the  south  and  the  barn  on  the  north ;  and  all  else  between  these 
buildings  on  the  west  and  the  aforesaid  great  tower  and  the  Long  Granary  on  the 
east,  and  between  the  brewhouse  and  bakehouse  on  the  north  and  the  Mill-dam  on 
the  south. 

A  few  preliminary  remarks  may  be  made  on  these  various  portions 
of  the  grant : 

1.  The  effect  of  this  tower  which  rises  over  the  entrance  to  the  cloister  has 
been  somewhat  destroyed  by  the  building  of  another  storey  to  the  adjoining  house 
on  the  south.  The  length  measurement  is  that  of  the  two  rooms  over  the  entrance 
to  the  cloisters.  'The  Elms'  is  a  descriiition  of  a  portion  of  the  present  Dean's 
Yard,  and  is  frequently  met  with  in  leases  from  the  time  of  Henry  VII. 

2.  This  is  apparently  the  extent  of  Abbot  Litlyngton's  site.  The  King's  Alms- 
house was  founded  by  Henry  VII :  the  King's  Almsmen  survive,  but  are  no  longer 
housed  within  the  precincts. 

3.  The  cloister  was  at  that  time  glazed,  and  the  bishop  could  enter  this  walk 
privately  from  the  N.E.  corner  of  his  garden.  Nothing  marks  more  pathetically 
the  close  of  the  monastic  life.  This  was  the  first  thing  Lord  Wentworth  was  called 
upon  to  restore;  for  when  the  old  services  were  resumed  in  1553,  it  was  needed  for 
the  Sunday  procession  even  before  the  monks  came  back. 

4.  The  names  '  Calbege '  [and  '  Black  Stole '  have  not  been  explained,  but  the 
buildings  referred  to  are  the  houses  now  inhabited  by  a  minor  canon  and  by  the 
archdeacon  on  the  east  side  of  Dean's  Yard.  One  copy  of  the  grant  has  '  Blackescole,' 
and  Lord  Wentworth's  surrender  has  'Black  Schole.'  But  this  is  a  mere  misreading 
for  we  have  much  earlier  evidence  on  the  other  side. 


26 


The  Abbot's  House 


5.  The  space  here  granted  is  narrow ;  but  the  description  is  important  for  us, 
as  it  helps  to  indicate  the  position  of  the  Misericorde. 

6.  These  indications  are  most  valuable  for  the  topography  of  what  is  now 
Dean's  Yard.  The  Long  Granary,  which  was  not  given  to  the  bishop,  survived 
till  the  eighteenth  century  as  the  dormitory  of  the  King's  scholars. 

I  now  add  some  explanatory  notes,  which  with  the  further  aid  of 
the  large  Plan  (in  cover)  will  I  hope  suffice  to  illustrate  the  grant  made 
to  the  bishop,  and  may  also  help  to  solve  some  outstanding  problems. 

1.  Cheynygates. 

1300,  '  Item  j  ser'  cum  iij  clau'  empt'  ad  host'  de  chaines.  xijd.'  Cellarer 
(J.  Redyug)  1299—1300  {Munhn.  18,830). 

1486,  'a  mansion  within  the  said  abbey  called  Cheynegatis.'  Lease  to 
Queen  Elizabeth  Wydville,  printed  above. 

1539,  To  Hendon  and  Cheynygates  for  my  lord.  Subsexton's  roll  {Munim. 
19,834). 

c.  1540,  'the  kechyn  wythin  Cheyngates':  'In  the  Warderobe  at  Cheney- 
gates.'    Dissolution  Inventory,  printed  below. 

1541,  'totum  scitum  et  ambitum  domus  mansionis  et  habitacionis  com- 
muniter  vocat'  Cheynygates.'    Grant  to  Bp  Thirlby,  printed  above. 

2.  Cawagii'M. 

1300,  'j  ser'  cum  clau'  ad  cauag'  pro  tall'  seruand'.  iiijd.'  Cellarer's  roll 
{Munim.  18,830),  under  heading  of  granary  and  malthouse. 

1387,  entertainment  of  servants  of  the  king  '  in  Cawag'.'    Treasurers'  roll. 

1389,  Plaster  of  Paris  'pro  pariete  noui  cauag'  plastraudi';  1390,  'fenestr' 
in  cauag";  1392,  Wall  'in  cauag'  Celar'  dauband'  et  plastrand'  cum  piastre 
paris.'   Cellarer's  rolls. 

1391  (after  building  of  new  celarium),  'circa  domum  supra  novum  cellerar' 
et  cawagium ' :  1397,  repairs  of  Cawagium,  &c. ;  'pro  host'  et  celar'  Kawagii  in 
pistrina.'  Treasurers'  rolls. 

It  is  plain  from  these  references  that  there  was  more  than  one 
Cawagium,  and  that  the  cellarer's  Cawagium  was  an  apartment  connected 
with  his  business,  as  was  the  Blackstole.  Probably  it  was  over  the 
cellarer's  undercroft,  and  perhaps  used  for  keeping  his  tallies.  The 
Black  Stool  may  have  been  where  he  sat  to  take  his  receipts  and 
cast  his  accounts. 

The  mention  of  the  '  Calbege '  and  the  '  Blackstole '  in  Bishop 
Thirlby 's  grant  suggests  that  they  were  above  the  undercroft  which 
runs  between  the  present  porter's  lodge  and  the  headmaster's  house. 
I  think  we  may  identify  '  Calbege '  with  '  Cawagium.' 

3.  Blackestole. 

1332,  'apud  le  Blakestol"  (some  expenditure  crossed  out).  Cellarer's  roll 
{Munim.  18,831). 


Illnsfrative  Documents  and  Notes 


27 


1372,  'Et  pro  factura  le  Blakestol  in  Celar'  xiijs.  iiijd.'    Cellarer's  roll. 
1452,  'apud  le  Blackestole'  (some  payments  received).    So-called  'Prior's 
Rent  Book'  (exhibited  in  Chapter  House)  p.  61. 

4.  OXEHALL. 

1532,  'reparacions  done  upon  the  faggot  house  in  the  Oxehall.'  Munivi. 
24,860;  cf.  24,854  (same  year,  1531—2). 

1541,  'turrim  lapidian]...iu  quodam  loco  vulgariter  vocat'  the  Oxehalle.' 
Grant  to  Bp  Thirlby. 

[In  the  Cellarer's  roll,  1377 — 8:  'et  in  tribulis  emp'pro  domo  bourn.  xiijd.'J 

5.  The  King's  Almshouse  is  mentioned  in  the  grant  to  Bishop 
Thirlby  as  part  of  the  western  boundary  of  the  mansion  of  Chenygates. 
It  was  built  by  King  Henry  VII  for  thirteen  poor  men,  and  was  situate, 
as  Stow  tells  us,  on  the  south  side  of  the  great  Gatehouse'.  Its  position 
is  roughly  indicated  on  Morden  and  Lea's  plan  of  1690,  a  reference  to 
which  I  owe  to  the  kindness  of  Mr  Walter  Spiers :  but  the  words  of  the 
grant  to  Richard  Cicill,  quoted  below,  shew  that  the  garden  of  the 
keeper  of  the  Gatehouse  was  its  northern  boundary,  and  the  plan  does 
not  shew  the  Gatehouse  at  all. 

Among  the  Westminster  Muniments  are  several  interesting  docu- 
ments relating  to  this  Almshouse. 

(1)  Miinim.  5398  A  and  B:  Covenants  and  specifications  for  its 
erection  according  to  a  Plat  (which  unfortunately  is  not  forthcoming). 
The  building  was  to  be  of  brick,  120  ft.  long  and  26  ft.  wide,  with  gable 
ends  and  tiled  roof.  The  cost  was  to  be  £500.  The  signatories  are 
Sir  Richard  Guldeford  and  Sir  Thomas  Lovell.  The  specifications  give 
the  number  of  bricks  and  of  tiles  to  be  employed. 

(2)  Munim.  5390 :  Bond  from  Nicholas  Brigham  Gentl.  of  West- 
minster to  David  Vincent,  Armiger,  in  £40,  for  the  making  of  a  conduit 
at  the  Bedehouse  for  the  use  of  the  Almsmen ;  30  Nov.  1547 :  signed 
by  N.  B. 

(3)  Munim.  5325  (undated) :  Petition  of  the  King's  Almsmen.  They 
had  been  dispossessed  by  'one  David  Vincent,  being  then  an  officer 
belonging  to  the  wardrobb  of  beddes  to  the  most  worthie  prince  of 
famous  memorie  King  Henry  the  viiith.'  He  afterwards  '  sold  the 
same  unto  one  Nicolas  Brigham,  who  converted  the  same  to  a  dwelling 
house  for  hym  selfe  and  to  his  use  and  took  awaye  the  armes  standing 
and  fixed  over  the  gate  thereof  There  was  a  Hall  and  Chapel,  as  well 
as  '  a  severalle  chamber '  for  each  almsman.  In  the  first  year  of  Queen 
Elizabeth  a  commission  of  enquiry  had  been  directed  to  the  Dean  and 

'  Stow's  Survey,  ed.  Kingsford,  ii.  12?. 


28 


The  Abbot's  House 


Chapter  as  to  this  encroachment,  and  the  ahiismen  complain  to  the 
Queen  that  they  are  still  dispossessed. 

Nicholas  Brigham,  who  erected  Chaucer's  monument,  died  in  Dec. 
1558:  see  Diet,  of  Nat.  Biography. 

(4)  Munim.  5321  (early  seventeenth  cent,  hand) : 

The  howse  or  Almeshouse  which  was  graunted  to  Richard  Cicell  did  belong  [did 
belong]  to  the  Abbot  of  Westm' :  which  Abbey  of  Westm'  was  surrendered  to  king 
Hen:  8.  in  the  xxxj"'  yere  of  his  Raigne. 

Aug.  5.  Afterwards  the  said  king  Henry  did  errecte  the  Deane  and  Chapter  of 
Westm'  34"!  yere  of  his  Raigne.  And  did  give  and  graunte  to  the  said  Deane  and 
Chapter  (among  other  landes)  the  said  howse. 

July  24.  In  the  38  yere  of  his  Raigne  the  said  Deane  and  Chapter  by  deede  did 
graunt  backe  the  said  house  to  the  king  his  heires  and  successours  for  ever  after- 
wards king  Edward  the  6"'  by  letters  Pattents  dated  the  xxx"'  of  June  in  the  first 
yere  of  his  Rayne  did  give  and  graunt  the  said  howse  to  Richard  Cicell  Esq.  his 
heires  and  successours  for  ever. 

The  Recordes  wherof  you  may  find  in  the  office 
of  the  Court  of  Augmentations 

And  also  the  particulars  and  boundaries  of  the  said  howse. 

(5)  Munim.  5397  :  Commissioners  under  King  James  I  in  1604 
restore  the  Chapel,  Hall  and  Kitchen,  which  had  been  alienated 
2  Edw.  VI  and  were  in  possession  of  Dame  English  under  Lord  Petre. 

I  am  indebted  to  the  courtesy  of  Mr  E.  G.  Atkinson  of  the  Record 
Office  for  the  following  transcript  of  the  Record  referred  to  in  No.  4. 

Records  of  the  Court  of  Augmentations.    Particulars  for  Grants, 
38  Henry  VIII. 
Richard  Cicill,  grantee. 
Parcel!  possess  nuper  pertinen  Ecciie  Cathedrali  Westm  iiiodo  in  man 
Dni  Regis  per  Decanum  T;  Capitlm  ibm  dat  concess  T;  sursumreddit. 

Domus  voc  the  Almeshouse  scituat  infra  precinctum  nuper  monasterii 
Westm  valet  in 

Exit  T;  proficuis  totius  illius  partis  domus  Elimozinarie  predce  vocat  le 
Almeshowse  cu  pertinen  jaceii  T;  existefi  infra  precinctum  nuper  monasterii 
Westraonasterii  quondam  edificat  per  serenissimum  Principem  nuper  Regem 
Henricum  septimum  scitt.  Halle  coquine  cum  le  larder  T;  laundrie  ac  le 
Buttrie  unacum  oinibz  cameris  desuper  edificat  accum  capella  T;  gardino  ac 
omibz  aliis  parvis  curtilag  T;  lez  yardes  eiSni  le  Almeshouse  1  gardino  adjacen 
prout  insimul  scituat  T;  jacent  inter  coem  stratum  ducefi  versus  dcm  nuper 
monasterium  Westm  ex  parte  orien  T;  le  Alley  i'bm  adjacen  juxta  Edificia 
vocat  le  poore  menslodgynges  ex  parte  occidefi  unde  capud  australe  abbuttat 
super  stratum  i'bm  T;  capud  boriale  inde  abbuttat  super  gardinum  modo  vel 
nuper  Alexi  Palmer  custodis  Prisone  vocat  le  Gatehowse  in  Westm  et  que 


Illmtrative  Documents  and  Notes 


29 


continent  in  longitud  ex  parte  orien  Ixxix  pedes  T:  3i  T;  ex  parte  occideri 
iiij^xv  pedes  T;  capud  australe  continet  in  latituS  iiij^'^vj  pedes  1  capud  boriale 
continet  in  latitud  Ixv  pedes  sic  nuperime  superius  per  officiaf  Dni  Regis 
nunc  T;  arentat  coibz  annis  per  annum  ad  xxxix'*.  v''.  ot. 

Concordat  cum  valore 
fact  per  decanum  T;  ca- 
pittm  ecctie  catfeie  pre- 
dce  tempore  concessionis 
premisso^  dno  Regi  per 
eosdem  decanum  T; 
capittm  per  me 

Ricm  Duke. 

6.   Bakehouse  and  Brewhouse. 

Munim.  35,762  :  Lease  of  Bakehouse,  etc.  by  Abbot  [Feckenham],  etc. 
8  Dec.  1558. 

To  Ralph  Petrie  of  the  same  house  Baker.. .have  demised. ..all  that  their  ten' 
commonlie  called  the  bakehouse  with  the  next  lodging  to  the  same  on  the  west  end 
Set  lyeing  and  being  on  the  west  sjde  of  the  said  mon'  within  the  Abbey  with 
the  two  ovens  in  the  said  bakehouse  with  all  and  singuler  thajjpertenances :  which 
said  backhouse  and  lodging  containe  in  length  from  theast  to  the  west  Ixxxvi  foote 
of  Assise  and  on  breadth  from  the  north  to  the  south  xviii  foote  of  Assyse.  And 
the  ii  ovens  stretching  xiii  foote  deepe  into  the  millhouse  on  the  southside  of  the 
said  bakhouse  conteine  in  breadth  east  to  west  xxiii  foote  [Also  one  yard  or  voyd 
groimd  on  the  south  side  of  the  said  bakhouse  lying  betwyxt  the  petycannons 
lodging  and  the  Diche  that  serveth  the  houses  of  office  to  the  said  mon'  belonging 
conteyning  from  the  east  to  the  west  and  from  the  north  to  the  south  equally 
xl  foote  of  a  size]. 

The  words  in  brackets  are  struck  out ;  clearly  because  this  ground 
was  to  be  let  to  the  brewer  with  the  brewhouse. 

Munim.  35,769  :  Lease  of  Brewhouse,  etc.  by  Abbot  [Feckenham],  etc. 
2  Jan.  1559. 

To  William  Porter... in  consideracion  of  a  certen  somme  of  money  to  them 
towards  the  charges  of  the  newe  bylding  of  their  commen  Bruehouse  beforehand 
paid... have  demised... all  that  their  teniment  commonlie  called  the  bruehouse  and 
a  myllhouse  and  a  lyme  kell  adioining  to  the  same  on  the  west  ende :  bounding  on 
the  Grammar  schole  eastward  And  the  newe  byldings  called  the  peticannons 
lodgings  on  the  west  With  a  plot  of  ground  adnexed  to  the  west  ende  of  the  mill- 
house  conteyning  in  length  westwards  to  the  henhouse  ende  Iv  foote  and  from 
thence  to  the  dyche  Southward  fortie  foote  Also... the  great  Towr  standing  betwixt 
the  said  bruehouse  and  the  Long  gamer.  The  bruehouse  on  the  north  the  gamer  on 
the  south ;  with  all  and  singler  the  Romes  and  chambers  into  the  said  Tower  and 
unto  the  same  belonging  and  now  appertaining  above  and  beneath  with  a  piece 
of  the  storehouse  under  the  garner  of  length  xlii  foote  and  of  breadth  xxxiii  foote 


30 


The  Abbofs  House 


adioj'iiing  to  the  lowest  rome  of  the  said  Tower  southward  Set  lyeing  and  being  all 
together  within  the  Abbey  of  Westm»'  aforesaid. 

[Attached  is  the  inventory  of  vessels  and  implements  in  the  brewhouse 
and  millhouse.] 


Dissolution  Inventories. 

Public  Record  Office,  Land  Revenue,  Miscellaneous  Books,  vol.  110: 
Inventories  of  the  Monastery  of  8.  Peter,  Westminster^. 


Examinatur 
Plate  xemayn- 
yng  there 
ij  basones  & 
ij  Ewers 
data  Decano 
Examinatur 


Examinatur 
Dantur 
Decano 
Examinatur 

Examinatur 
Dantur  decano 


An  Inuentorye  of  the  Butterye  Remaynynge 
in  the  custodye  of  Gabriell  Palley,  to  thuse  of 
the  late  Abbotte. 

In  primis  ij  basons  &  iij  ewers  of  syluer  percell  gylte  eyther  of  the  oi^^Ewer^of 

Basons  hauynge  A  man  in  a  tre  Slepinge^  &  everye  of  the  Ewers  haiuynge  syluer  white 

Islyppe  in  the  printe  of  the  Covere.  deliberantur 

•'^^  ^  Thesaurario 

Item  a  lesser  bason  of  syluer  percell  gylte  wyth  saint  Edwardys  p^J^eris— ^^^^ 
amies  in  the  printe  of  the  bosse.  xx 

iiij    ij  oz. 

Item  a  grete  standinge  salte  of  syluer  and  gylte  wythe  a  couer  of 
the  same  hauunge  droppys  Rounde  aboute  the  salte  &  couer. 

Item  a  grete  standinge  salte  of  syluer  and  gylte  wyth  droppys  all 
aboute  hyt. 

Item  ij  lesser  standinge  saltes  wyth  on  couer  of  Syluer  and  gylte 
viij  square  the  knappe  of  the  cover  goinge  of  and  on  wyth  a  vise^  and 
the  lyppe  of  on  square  of  the  couer  wantinge. 


1  The  first  part  of  these  Inventories,  relating  to  the  church,  is  printed  in  the  Trans- 
actions of  the  London  and  Middlesex  Archceological  Society,  vol.  iv,  part  iii  (Aug.  1873) 
by  the  Reverend  M.  E.  C.  Walcott ;  but  of  the  remainder  he  gave  a  few  selected  extracts 
only.  They  have  now  been  copied  for  me  in  full  by  Miss  E.  M.  Thompson  (April — May, 
1905).  The  smaller  type  of  the  side-notes  and  inserted  words  indicates  the  notes  of  the 
officials  who  checked  and  distributed  the  goods :  words  deleted  by  them  are  placed  here  in 
square  brackets. 

I  have  not  attempted  to  explain  all  the  curiosities  and  blunders  of  these  interesting 
documents :  but  I  have  appended  a  few  explanatory  notes,  partly  from  the  Oxford  English 
Dictionary ;  and  I  have  given  some  of  Mr  Walcott's  notes,  placing  his  initials  after  them. 

^  '  A  man  in  a  tree  slipping '  is  one  of  several  forms  of  Abbot  Islip's  rebus :  cf.  p.  31, 
'  a  man  in  a  tree  holding  a  slyppe ' :  called  simply  '  Islypps,'  p.  38. 

^  'Screwing  off  and  on,'  as  we  should  say.  A  'vise'  is  the  old  name  for  a  winding 
staircase. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


31 


Item  a  salte  wythe  owte  a  couer  of  syluer  percell  gylte  viij  square  Deliberatur 


printyd  wyth  Rosys  portculysis  aud  crosse  kayes ' 


Stollen  Item  a  drinkinge  kuppe  with  a  couer  of  syluer  and  gylte  goblett 

ffassyon  sett  with  skoloppe  shellis  bothe  the  couer  and  the  kupp. 

Examinatur  Item  a  drinkinge  cuppe  wyth  a  cover  of  syluer  and  gylte  nutte 
Datur  Decano  ffassyon  wyth  a  hande  holdinge  a  slyppe  on  the  toppe  of  the  cover. 

Examinatur         Item  a  kuppe  of  syluer  and  gylte  hauinge  ij  erys  and  a  cover  of  the 
Datur  Decano  same  wyth  a  slyppe  in  the  toppe  of  the  cover  wyth  thys  scrypture  soli 
deo  honor  et  gloria  abougte  the  cuppe. 

Examinatur  Item  a  drinkinge  Cuppe  of  syluer  and  gylte  wyth  ij  erys  and  a  cover 
Datur  Decano  of  the  same  wrowghte  a  boute  the  Cuppe  with  Antykke  worke. 


Thesaurario 
ad  vsum  Regis 
^onderis — 
xiij  oz. 


Examinatur 
one  with  the 
couer 
Dantur 
Decano 
[ij  dantur 
Decano  pro 
Rege] 

Examinatur 


Item  iij  drinkinge  sortable  Cuppes  and  on  cover  all  of  Syluer  and 
gylte  of  chekar  worke  wth  whyche  Cuppes  sume  tyme  apperteynid 
vnto  the  selerer^  and  were  vsyd  for  swete  wynes. 


Item  a  lytell  drinkinge  Cujjpe  of  syluer  w^^th  on  Ere,  white. 


ij  Cuppis 
withoute 
couers 
deliberantur 
ad  vsum  Regis 
Thesaurario 
ponderis — 
xiij  oz.  ai. 
deliberatur 
ThesrtMrano 
Y>onderis — 
V.  oz.  a. 

Deliberatur 
Thesaurario 


Examinatur  Item  a  standinge  nutte  vfit/i  a  foote  garnisshyd  and  a  couer  all  of 

m"™  the  couer  syluer  &  gylte  hamTig  a  man  in  a  tre  holdinge  a  slyppe  in  the  toppe  of 
lackyth  ^j^g  couer  and  wrytten  a  boute  the  nutte  Da  gloriam  deo. 

Examinatur          Item  a  chafyndysshe  of  Sylver  &  gylte. 
Datur  Decano 

Examinatur         Item  a  grete  standinge  nutte  wyth  a  fote  garnysshed  &  a  cover  all 
of  syluer  and  gylte  hauinge  ane  Acorn  in  the  toppe. 

Examinantur        Item  x  syluer  sponys  every  on  of  them  hauinge  an  apple  on  the 

wiij  dantur  ende  and  touchyd  wythein. 

decano 

Examinatur         Item  on  syluer  spone  wyth  God  and  the  worlede  in  hys  hande  of  vij  white 


Deliberatur 
Thesaurario 


Examinantur 


syluer  and  gylte  at  thende  and  towchyd  wji,hin. 

Item  iij  syluer  sponys  every  of  them  hauinge  the  apple  of  Syluer 
and  gylte  at  thende  and  vn  towchyd  wythiu. 

Item  vij  Syluer  Sponys  every  on  of  them  haujTige  a  woodwai-de^  of 
Syluer  and  gylte  at  thende. 

Item  iiij  Syluer  Sponys  every  on  of  them  hauinge  a  lyon  of  Syluer 
and  gylte  at  thende. 


deliberantur 
Thesaurario 
pouderis — 
vij  oz. 


1  So  below,  p.  35,  '  peter  Kayes ' :  the  arms  of  the  abbey.  '  i.e.  the  Cellarer. 

'•'  '  Woodward,  a  keeper  who  looks  after  woods.    Woodwose,  a  wild  man.'  M.  E.  C.  W. 


32 


The  Abbot's  House 


Bvtterye 
knyves 


pro  decano 


Item  a  greate  Sjluer  spone  and  gylte  wyth  a  flatte  knappe  on 
thende  and  towchyd  wythin. 

Item  ij  brode  karvinge  knyves  and  a  brekinge^  knyffe  Sortable 
beinge  sume  what  olde  hauynge  haftys  of  Iverye  and  barryd  wyth 
syluer  and  gylte. 

Item  ij  meate  knyfes  for  my  lorde  hys  trencher  wyth  on  botkin^ 
belonginge  to  the  same  (beinge  haftyd  wyth  dogyn  and  at  thendys  of 
the  same  haftys  beinge  stoppyd  wyth  syluer  a  pon  the  shethe  a  Chape^ 
of  sylver. 

Item  a  standynge  case  of  smalle  meate  knyfes  or  trencher  knyfes 
lakkinge  there  of  v.  knyves  and  Remaynynge  in  the  same  case  xxij 
Knyfe  the  Sheve  therof  havinge  ij  barrys  of  sylver  about  hytte. 

Item  a  stokke  of  trencher  knyfes  wyth  Iron  haftys  whych  my  lorde 
hadd  lorde  Hussey  conteynyng  xij  knyves*. 


Table  cloth 
of  Dyaper 
totum  pro 
decano 


Longe  Towels 
of  Dyaper 
totum  pro 
decano 


Naperye  warre  of  Dyaper. 

Item  the  beste  table  clothe  conteynynge  in  lenght  xiij  yardys  and 
Aimidium  in  bredeth  ij  yardys  and  dimidium. 

Item  an  other  table  cloth  conteynynge  in  lengh  viij  yardi's  and  iij 
(inarters  In  bredeth  ij  yardys  and  a  quarter. 

Item  a  table  clothe  conteynynge  in  length  iiij  yardys  and  a  quarter. 
In  Breade  ij  yardys  and  a  quarter. 

Item  a  table  clothe  conteynynge  iiij  yardys  iij  quarter  and  more 
and  in  bread  on  yarde  and  dimidium. 

Item  an  other  table  clothe  conteynyng  in  lengh  iiij  yardys  In  Breade 
on  yarde  dimidium. 

Item  an  other  table  cloth  conteynyng  in  lenghth  vij  yardis  quarter 
and  in  bredeth  ij  yardys  quarter. 

Item  a  other  table  clothe  conteynyng  in  breade  ij  yardys  skante  in 
length  ix  yardis. 

Item  an  other  table  cloth  conteynyng  in  length  vij  yardys  and  more 
and  in  bredeth  ij  yardis  quarter  et  dimidium  quarteri. 

Item  an  other  table  clothe  conteynyng  in  length  v.  yardis  dimidium 
and  in  bredethe  a  yarde  quarter  dimidii. 

Item  a  Towell  of  Dyaper  conteynyng  in  lenghthe  xv  yardys  In  brede 
on  yarde. 

Item  an  other  towell  conteynyng  in  lengthe  xiiij  yardy«  quarter  and 
in  breade  iij  quarters. 


1  '  Carviu!5  :  to  break  was  to  cut  up  a  deer.  Hall  speaks  of  carving  and  breaking  i 
M.E.C.  W. 

2  i.e.  with  one  bodkin,  or  small  dagger. 

'  The  mounting  at  the  point  of  the  sheath. 

■»  See  '  Hussey,  Sir  John,  Baron  Hussey,'  Diet.  Nat.  Biogr.  '  On  15  May  [1537]  t 
tried  with  Lord  Darcy  at  Westminster... aud  sentenced  to  be  executed  at  Tyburn.' 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 

Item  an  other  towell  coutcynyng  in  Icngthe  x  yardys  iij  ciuartors 
and  In  brede  iij  qnartcrs. 

Item  an  other  towell  conteynyng  iiij  yardis  dhnidium  in  brede  iij 
<\uart/'rs. 

Item  an  other  towell  conteynyng  viij  yardys  and  in  brede  iij 
<\unrte.rs. 

Item  an  other  towell  wnteynyng  iiij  yardys  quarter  and  in  brede  iij 
quarters. 

Item  an  othei-  towell  conteynyng  viij  yardis  quarter  and  in  brede  iij 
(\uarters. 


33 


Hande 
Towells  of 
Dyapei' 


Item  the  Fynest  hande  Towell  conteynyng  in  lenghth  ij  yardys 
d'wudiicm  et  dimidium  quarteri  and  in  bredeth  on  yardc  and  cinar/rr. 

Item  iij  hande  Towells  conteynyng  in  lenghthe  everye  of  them  ij 
yardys  dimidium  and  in  brede  iij  quartos. 

Item  an  other  hande  Towell  conteynyng  in  leghthe  iij  yardys  iij 
quarters  in  bredeth  Aimidium  yarde. 

Item  a  cubberde  clothe  conteynynge  in  lenghthe  iij  yardys  &  in 
breadhth  ij  yardys  and  a  quarter. 

Item  a  Fyne  coverpane  conteynyng  in  lenghth  one  yarde  and  quarter 
and  in  bredeth  iij  quarters. 

Item  vj  fyne  Napkins  of  damaske  worke  newe  And  vj  other  dyaper 
Napkins  sore  worne. 

Item  a  Fyne  table  cloth  conteynyng  in  lenghth  vj  yardys  dimidium 
and  in  bredeth  on  yarde  and  quarter. 

Item  a  Table  clothe  conteynyng  in  length  iij  yardys  iij  quai-ters  and 
in  bredeth  on  ell. 

Item  a  Fyne  playne  Towell  conteynyng  v.  yardys  and  a  quarter. 
Item  a  playne  Towell  conteynyng  in  lenghth  iij  yardys  dimidium. 

Item  a  Towell  conteynyng  in  length  iij  yardys  and  in  brede  iij 
qwarters. 

Item  an  olde  playne  Towell. 

Necke  Towells       Item  iij  necketowells  every  of  them  conteynyng  in  lenghth  a  yarde 
iij  quarters  and  in  bredeth  dimidium  yarde. 

Item  an  other  necke  towell  conteynynge  iiyardw,  in  hv&dc  dimidium. 
Item  an  other  necke  towell  conteynyng  on  yard  iij  quarters. 
Item  an  other  necke  towell  conteynyng  iij  yardys  iij  quarters. 

Item  fyve  Cubberde  Clothes  everye  of  them  conteynyng  in  lenghth 
on  yarde  thre  quarter  and  in  bredeth  a  yard  and  a  quarter. 
Item  a  playne  Cubberde  clothe. 

Item  .\xv.  playne  Napkyns. 
Item  xviij  fyne  playne  Table  napkins. 
Item  xviij  i)]ayne  Course  napkins. 


Cubberde 
clothe  of 
Dyaper 
A  coverpane 
of  Dyaper 


Dyaper 
Napkins 

Table  clothes 
of  playne 
clothe 


Playne 
Towells 


Cubbarde 
Clothes 


Napkyns 


totiim  p 
Deoann 


34 


The  Abbot's  House 


Item  vj  olde  noughty  Napkins  for  the  dryinge  of  plate. 

Item  vj  Newe  dyaper  napkius. 

Item  iij  dossen  of  playn  napkins  newe. 

Fyne  Item  a  case  of  fyne  trenchers  for  frute  wyth  a  dossen  trenchers  off 

Tienclieis        j^^^^.^^j.  ^^^^^.^  p^ssyon. 

Butterye  Stufte  remaynynge  in  the  Charge 
of  Edmunde  Vincent. 

In  the  cliarge         Item  iij  pewter  basons  and  on  Ewer.  totum  pro 

ofEdmoude  Tf^r..      K„ffo,.,  i.„,„.^c.  Decano 


Vyncent 


Item  iij  buttery  knyves. 
Item  xiiij  lethern  G^'spyns^ 
Item  a  Kandolstykkc  of  latten  with  ij  nosys  and  ij  flowers. 
Item  a  groato  bell  candelstykke  w/th  a  nose  to  put  on. 
Item  a  greato  kandelstj'cke  bell  fassyon  with  a  flower. 
Item  iij  grcte  candelstyck;'.?  of  on  sorte  w/th  flowers. 
Item  on  kandylstykke  of  lurabard  Fassyon 
Item  on  lyttell  bell  Candelstykke  with  a  flowre. 
Item  vj  bell  candelstykk/s  sortable  with  flowers. 
Item  V.  bell  candylstykkts  of  a  lesse  sorte  w?7/(owt  flowers. 
Item  the  Fyer  panne  perteynynge  to  the  hall. 
Item  iiij  newe  Table  Clothes  jilayne  for  the  hall. 
Item  a  cobberd  clothe  playn  in  lenghth  on  yard  dimidium. 
Item  vj  newe  Table  clothes  of  canvas  for  the  hall. 
Item  iij  playn  clothes  very  shorte. 

Plate  and  Implement/.s  of  Ilousolde  Re- 
maynynge in  the  Jlysericorde. 
Examinatur  In  primis  a  Salto  of  Syluer  and  gylte  wyth  A  cover  Full  of  drojipes  Examinatur 

iwnderis —  xxxj  oz.  Deliberautiir 

Thesaurario 

white 

Examinatur  Item  iiij  Salt;s  of  Syluer  wyth  Rosys  and  perculysj-s  [pcell  gylte]  Examinatur 

iwnderis —  Ij  oz. 

Examinatur         Item  a  standynge  pece  w/th  a  cover  gylt  to  drinke  wyne  in. 

Datur  Decano  imideris  xxij  oz. 

Examinautur        Item  ij  Sj'luer  pecys  on  bygger  tlien  the  other  and  iiij  other  Syluer  deliberatm- 

pecys  of  byggenesse  iionderis—  Ixix  oz.    [Ixij  oz.]  Thesa?/)-rtno 

white 

Examinantur        Item  ij  Syluer  potti's  on  wyth  a  handyll  and  the  other  wyth  owte  Deliberatur 

i:)Onderis —  xij  oz.    [xiiij  oz.]  Thesaurario 


'  Gispin,  a  leathern  pot  or  cup,  '  One  of  the  said  watch  to  fetch  a  pott  and  a  gespiu  att 
the  Pitcberhouse  for  ale  and  wyne  (Ordiu.  for  the  household,  347).'    M.  E.  C.  W. 

-  '  j  tabula  depicta  ad  modum  Lumbard,  22  Edw.  in.  iij  tabule  de  opera  Lumbardorum 
(In v.  Edw.  Ill),  j  imago  de  cupro  voc'  Lumbard  pertere,  25  Edw.  in  (ms.  Add.  24,  -525, 
fo.  261).'   M.  E.  C.  W. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


Item  iij  Masers  \v('th  owte  bossys  and  witli  bos.sys  xiij. 


Examinantur  white 
ij  geven  to  Item  ix  SyUier  Sponys  iiondens- 


vnj  oz. 

vij  iwiden's—v]  oz.  et  dhm'dium 

Exaniinatnr         Item  an  other  Salte  of  Sylver  percell  gylte  wytli  a  Cover  with  Rosys 
perculy.sys  and  peter  Kayes  \)ondens —  xxij  oz. 

white 

Examinaiitm-        Item  iiij  other  Saltys  of  Syluer  \)mderh —  xlj  oz. 

m""'  ther  white 

lackyth  ij  Item  xxiiij  sylver  Sponys  ^onderis —  xxv  oz. 

Spones 


Item  xix  masers  on  of  them  wyth  owt  a  bosse  \)onderis. 

Item  a  blacke  nutte  wyth  a  cover  the  fote  garnysshj'd  wyth  Syluer, 
\)onderis  wyth  the  nutte  xxij  oz. 


delibfcantur 
Thesa?/cario 

deliterantur 

Thcsaurario 

Exaniinatnr 
Delib(';«tur 
Thesourarto 

Examinantur 
AeMherantur 
Thesaurnrio 
xxij 

delibem»fHr 
Thesaiinnio, 
lionderis — 
xxiij  oz. 

Delibera)!«ur 
ThesaujYjrIo 

deliberantur 
Thesaitrario 


The  Naper3'e. 

In  primis  A  dyaper  table  cloth  with  a  payer  of  touels  of  Dyaper 
very  olde. 

Item  iiij  table  clothys  wherof  ij  be  olde  and  ij  p;iyer  of  towells. 
Item  iiij  Napkyns  and  a  hande  towell. 
Item  v.  Basons  wyth  ewers  of  pewter. 
Item  vj  Candelstykkis  on  of  them  wyth  ij  nosys. 
Item  a  payer  of  Andorns  a  payer  of  tongi's  and  a  colerake  A  chafer 
A  testing  Iron  and  A  Frying  pan. 

Item  vj  cusshyns  of  olde  tappestrye. 
Item  xxiij  platters  vij  dysshes  and  vj  sawcers. 
Item  a  brasse  potte  and  an  olde  Kettell. 
Item  a  saint  Johnes  hed  of  wood^ 


remmient 


The  Inuentorye  of  the  kechyn  wythin  Cheyngate^ 


In  primis  a  boyling  pan  bounde  wyth  Iron.  Dantur 
Brasse  pottes        Item  a  Brasse  potte  wyth  an  Iron  bayle.  ^x^cept/-- 
Item  an  other  brasse  potte  wyth  an  Iron  bayle.  ut  infru 

Item  An  other  lyttell  brasse  potte  of  BuUeyn  Mettell,  And  a  lyttell 
newe  brasse  pott  contcynyng  ij  Gallons  and  more. 


'  '  A  representation  of  the  Decollated  Head  of  the  Baptist.  A  Seynt  Johns  bede  of 
Alabaster  (Bury  Wills,  115,  116).  There  is  one  at  St  John's  Hospital,  Winchester.' 
M.  E.  C.  W. 

-  For  the  name  Cheynygates,  sec  above,  p.  26. 


no 


The  Ahbot'fi  Ho2ise 


[m"'»  the  Item  A  grete  iicwe  pan  cowteynpig  xl''  gallons  And  a  pan  of  x 

remayne^th]  ^  gallons  And  ij  pannys  on  lx)unde  on  of  them  cordeynyng  v  gallons  and 
Brassepannys  the  other  iiij  gallons. 

Item  a  pan  of  Red  mettell  conieynpig  iiij  Gallons.  Item  a  pan 
1  )Oiide  wyth  Iron  wyth  ij  handels  conteynyng  vj  gallons.  Item  a  brasse 
pan  vnboimde  conteynyng  iiij  gallons.  Item  an  other  brasse  pan  con- 
teynyng  v.  gallons.  Item  a  pan  wyth  ij  yron  handels  conteynyng  iiij 
Gallons.  Item  a  lyttle  pan  vnbounde  conteynynge  on  gallon.  Item  an 
other  pan  conteynyng  iij  gallons.  Item  a  waiter  Tanker  ^  bounde  wyth 
Irons.    Item  a  lyttell  newe  skylles  wyth  iij  fete  and  a  hande  of  Iron. 

lat'en                 Item  a  cullender  of  brasse.  Item  a  brasyn  ladell.    Item  a  brasen 

Skymere  the  handell  of  Iron.  Item  A  brasyn  morter  wyth  an  Iron 

pestell.  Item  chafyndysshys.  Item  a  Fylling  ladle  with  an  Iron 
Sokett. 


Chafers  of 
bullen 


Spyttis 


Item  a  ij  handed  chafter  wyth  iij  fete  conteynyng  by  estymac3'on 
iiij  gallons.  Item  a  lyttell  chaffer  wyth  iij  feete  and  a  handell  con- 
teynyng  a  pottell.  Item  a  standynge  chafer  to  set  in  the  Fyer  wyth  on 
handell.  Item  a  goodlye  grete  chafer  havinge  iij  feete  and  ij  handels. 
Item  a  lesser  chaffer  havinge  iij  fete  and  ij  handels. 

Item  iij  grete  Iron  Rakkys  ij  of  them  sortable  y*^  other  of  a  lesser 
sorte.  Item  on  gredyron.  Item  a  gredyron  of  xij  barrys.  Item  a  fyre 
Shulve.  Item  a  Iron  peele^.  Item  an  olde  Pryinge  pan  wyth  a  broken 
start.  Item  ij  other  frying  panns  on  bygger  then  An  other.  Item  iij 
drejjinge  pann?!*  of  Iron.  Item  a  grete  tryvet.  Item  a  lyttell  tryvet. 
Item  a  befe  prykke.  Item  ij  hokis  callyd  potte  hokys.  Item  a 
Fryinge  Slyse  of  Iron. 

Item  ij  grete  Iron  spytt?^  square.  Item  a  longe  byrde  broche 
square.  Item  iij  grete  Iron  spyttis  Rounde.  Item  a  lesser  Rounde 
byrde  broche. 

Knyve.s  For  Item  a  grete  course.    Item  a  strykinge  knyfie  al  of  Iron.    Item  a 

the  Kychyn      mynsing  Knyfe.    Item  iij  Choppinge  knyves.    Item  a  wood  Axe. 

One  Stone  Item  iij  grete  stone  raorters.    Item  a  lesser  stone  morter  wyth  iij 

stoue^trough  """^^^  pestell/5.  Item  a  grete  bred  grate.  Item  vj.  flaskettis.  Item  vij 
remayneth  woodden  trees.  Item  iiij  wooddon  boUes.  Item  ij  grete  boxes  on  for 
Kychyn  Stuffe  otemell  and  the  other  for  salte.  Item  ij  watter  skeijpes.  Item  ij 
lyttell  barrels  for  verges  and  veneger.  Item  the  kychyn  colleke^  of 
lether.  Item  ij  grete  beringe  tubbes*.  Item  a  powderinge  tubbe  wyth 
a  cover  iij  biyne  tubbes  and  a  sowsinge  tubbe.  A  lyttell  stonding  horde 
iij  eniptye  Runlettw  ij  drye  hoggesheddes.  A  drye  tubbe  iiij  close 
baskett?'s  of  wykers  and  ij  wyth  owte  covers.  Item  ij  hoggesheddys 
for  salt  a  grete  cheste  for  otemele.    Item  a  hoggeshedde  wyth  varges. 


Probably  a  water  tank. 
Perhaps  herring  tubs. 


■-  A  shovel. 


'■  Colette  (pail).'    M.  E.  C.  W. 


Illastratice  Documents  and  Xotes 


37 


Pewter 


Cesterns 
lemujjii 


Item  iij  chargers.  Item  xlviij  platters  xlviij  dyshes  and  xlj  sausers 
I  of  the  sylver  fassyon. 

Item  ij  ccstcrnes  of  leade. 


In  Mr  Thyx- 
tyls  Chamber 
lu  custodia 
(Iohi/hi  Epi's- 
copi  excepto 
Ic  bedested 
in  man/^Hf; 
Decani  et  ide»i 
in  custo(/(<j 
dicti  ETpiscopi 
ad  vsum  Hci/is 

In  Mr  Meltons 
Chamber 


In  S ulyard IS 
Chamber 


Mr  Morres 
Chamber 


All  Iiiueiitory  of  the  Housold  stiifle. 

Ill  primis  a  fetherbed  with  iij  blewe  gardys'  at  eyther  cude.  A 
bolster  a  pyllowe  wyth  a  here  of  lokeram-  A  koverlct  of  tapstrye  A  yiete 
staiidyuge  beddstede  A  payer  of  Aiidyroiis  A  pyllowe  of  Downe  coveryd 
wyth  fustyau  a  grete  spuse^  cheste  bounde  wyth  Iron  and  going  of  vj 
Iron  whelys  A  course  table  a  payer  of  trestels  a  playu  chest  wyth  lokke 
and  key  a  loiige  cofer. 


vemuyneth 

In  2>riiiiis  a  playne  bedsted  a  grete  Fetherbed  a  Ijolster  ij  pyllows  of 
downe  a  here  of  lokeram  a  matteresse  stuflyd  wyth  wooll  ij  woUeu 
blankettes  j  Iryshe  blaukett  A  large  coverlet  of  blewe  dornykys*  a 
remayneth 

trokyll  bedsted  a  newe  fetherbedd  wyth  a  newe  edge  aboute  hyt  a  table 
wyth  a  sete  lyke  a  cheyre  An  olde  carpet  of  tapstrye  worke  a  bedsted 
wyth  a  sealer^  ij  curteyns  all  of  grene  save  dowble  fiingede  the  Chamber 
haugyd  complete  wyth  grene  saye  A  lyttell  boffet  forme". 

Item  a  lyttell  fether  bed  a  large  bolster  ij  pyllowes  of  fustyan  a  feble  Soluta 
coverlet  of  tapstrye  very  olde  an  uother  newe  coverlet. 

sold  to  John 


Thesaurario 
for  iij'.  iiijd. 


Item  a  fetherbed  an  olde  bolster  a  pyllowe  an  olde  coverlet  of 
lemai/neth  lemayiieth 
tapstrye  An  Iryshe  mantell  a  tm'ued  chayre  |  An  olde  table  wyth  foklen 
leavys  &  other  bordys. 


In  the  111  primis  a  hauginge  of  Redde  and  grene  stiye  a  staynyd  cloth  of  Dantur 

gallorye'         Saynt  George  ij  Carpettw  in  the  wyndows  of  tapstrye  worke  |  a  lyttle  ^ecano 
table  of  queue  Jobaus  Armes**. 

remanent  cum  lEi^iscopo 
Jerusalem  Item  vij  pecys  of  hangingis  of  Arres  worke  wyth  ij  lyttle  pecys  of 

P^'^o'  sold  to  the  Deane  xjj  s 

Arras  wyth  the  stoiy  of  Pianette  |  A  wyndowe  carpett  wrought  apou 


1  Ornamental  borders  or  trimmings, 

-  Lockram  is  a  linen  fabric,  named  from  Locronan  in  Brittany. 

^  Walcott  suggests  '  spruce  wood.'  A  fabric  named  from  Dornewich  (Tournay). 

5  A  tester  ('?),  as  below.  A  low  stool  or  form, 

"  The  order  in  which  the  Gallery,  Jerusalem  Chamber  and  Jericho  Parlour  are  here 
given  suggests  that  the  Gallery  bej'ond  Jerusalem,  which  has  now  disappeared,  is  referred 
to :  see  above,  p.  15. 

"  Perhaps  Joan  of  Navarre,  queen  of  Henry  IV,  who  died  in  1437. 


38 


The  Abbot's  House 


In  the  entrie 
betwenc  the 
hall  and  the 
perlour 
In  Jerico^ 
parlor 


r'  Decanus 
In  my  lordys 
newe 
Chappell-' 

Exauoinantur 
In  the  lyttle 
Chamber 
nexte 


sold  to  the  Dean 

pakethrede  full  of  Kedd  Roses  |  And  olde  cai'pct  For  A  wyiidowe  be- 
for  xij  d.  vemanet  cum 

longing  to  the  same  parlour  of  turkyc  worke  |  An  olde  Bawdkyu'  for 
ETpiscopo  sold  to  the  Deane — v.s. 

the  baye  wyndowc  towardys  the  brode  saintuarye  |  A  table  carpet  of 
vcmancnt  cum  FiTpiscopo  sold  to 

tapstery  |  ij  quyssyns  Coueryd  wyth  grenc  braunchyd  velvet,  v.  carpet 
the  Deane  for — v.s.    remauet  cum  E^piscopo  sold  to  the  deane  for  ij.s. 

quisshons  A  table  wyth  a  jmyer  of  trestclls  |  A  grctc  longe  foklinge 
datur  Decauo  'Datur  Decano  rcmaiwt  cum 

table  I  An  Oestre  tabic  foldinge''*  |  A  skryne  wyth  wykars  |  A  standinge 
Ep/seopo  remanent  cum  E^iscopo  sold  to  the 

cubberde  wi'th  ij  Anibereycs^  |  ij  Joyncd  formes  A  payer  of  Andyorns 
Dean  for  v.s. 

A  fyre  forke  of  Iron.    [A  Haundcrs  C'heyre]  xviij  botl'ct  stolys 

of  the  whiche  vj  doth  remaync  with  the  bysshoppe  and  xij  geven  to  the  Deane. 

one  rema«t't  cum  Ep("f>fO/?o  et  sdlcr  sold  to  the  Deane 
Item  ij  C'obbordys  And  on  playn  forme 

sold  to  the  Deaue  for— 
viijd.  xvj.d  ij.s. 

Item  a  payer  of  trestells  |  a  Flaunders  cheyre  ij  Joynyd  Formes  \  i 
vijj.s.  v.s. 
quisshyous  of  carpet  worke  wyth  Islypps  |  A  payer  of  Andyrons  A 

xiij.s.  iiij.d.  vj.s.  viii.d. 

standing  cubberde  carvyd  A  carpett  of  brode  grene  cloth  A  newe 
seven  to  the  Deane 
Joyned  Cheyre  wyth  a  stole  in  hyt. 

Item  ij  pecys  of  tappestryc  of  the  planettw  ij  wyndowc  carpett**-  of 
Tentc  worke  hauinge  the  grounde  whyte  and  full  of  lledd  liartys 
A  quysshyou  of  tapstrye  |  A  pece  of  Redde  saye  lynyd  wyth  canvas. 

the  couerlet 

Item  a  fetherbed  a  large  bolster  a  pyllowe  a  couerlet  of  tapstre 
with  the  Deane  lemanent  cum  ETpiscopo 

wyth  byrdes  and  flowers  iij  pecys  of  hangingis  of  Redd  and  grene  saye. 

geven  to  the  Deane 
A  close  bedstocke  A  presse  wyth  a  kokke  and  levyd. 


Examinantur"       Item  a  grete  olde  Arres  at  the  hye  dease  ij  bankers  of  tapestrye  ij  remaneiit 
The  Halle       hangingis  for  the  syde  of  the  hall  of  grene  saye.  A  gret  Joyned  Chayre  ^V'scopo 

for  the  Queuys  Coronacyon  An  olde  grene  banker  the  Arrasys  in  the 

Hall  and  in  the  parlour  And  a  fest(i)ual  in  Printe''. 


1  A  rich  stuff :  properly  of  gold  and  silk  threads. 

-  '  A  lytell  oyster  tabull  (Wareham's  Inv.  C.  j\  V.  R.  0.  fo.  23).'   M.  E.  C.  W. 

Aumbries,  or  cupboards  (armarii). 
*  Walcott,  writing  in  1873,  found  it  necessary  to  put  the  note,  '  That  ordinarily  called 
now  the  Organ-room  ' :  but  the  older  name  is  at  the  present  time  in  exclusive  possession. 
''  See  the  separate  note  on  'The  Abbot's  Chapel '  (p.  84). 

From  this  point  onwards  the  notes  of  examination  are  not  here  reproduced. 
'  We  may  suppose  that  this  was  one  of  Caxton's  books,  printed  over  the  Gate  leading 
to  the  Almonry.    The  Festival  is  thus  described  in  the  Old  Service-books  of  the  English 


lllttstrative  Docmnents  and  JVotes 


III  the  Sl<oI-  Item  ij  inattcre.ssy.s  ij  Canvas  bolsters  an  oUlc  coverlet  a  blanket  appoynted  to 

yonsChamber  and  a  bcdsted.  be  geven  to  a 

pore  man 

luthcPortors  Item  a  bedsted  and  a  lyttell  Fetherbed  full  of  blewc  strykys  ^^7^^°^ 
lodge  ^  bolster  an  olde  pyllow  A  blanket  of  Irysslie  Frees  An  oldc  coverlet  ^^^^ 

remanet  cum  Episcopo 

of  tapestrey  set  wyth  Flowers  a  standinge  Cubbarde  wyth  an  Ambery 

lokkyd. 

In  Syr  Item  a  fetherbed  a  bolster  ij  pyllowys  a  pyllow  berc  a  large  coverlet  |^7^  *°  ^ 

Chamber*  tapestrye  wyth  Imagys  a  wolleu  blanket  hanging^^i  for  the  Chamber 

vemayneth  remaijnelh 

of  fullerye  worke  a  .stondyng  bedd  and  a  trokyll  bedsted  and  an  olde 

prcsse. 

In  the  !yttle  Fetherbedde 

chamber  over         Item  a  boster  a  course  pyllowe  ij  wuUeyii  lilaukett/,v  A  keltcr  geven  to 
coverlet  of  Flauuders  makiugo  lately  bought  tlic  hanging/.s  complete  ^be  Deane 
about  the  chamber  And  a  tester  of  Fullerye  worke  A  bedsted  and  a 
forme. 


Jakys 


Chamber  & 
thother  to  be 


m'"  the  bedde 
in  Adames 
Chamber 

moste  deliuer-        Item  a  Fetherbed  ij  bolsters  ij  wolleyn  blankettis  Full  of  Hoolcs 
ed  to  this  ^  lemayncth 
A  coverlet  of  blewe  and  greue  dornix  lynyd  wyth  canvas  A  bedsted  a 

 ;u;dln  "    ,  remayneth 

the  place  of     h'^^^^^  Cubbard. 
this. 

In  Tytleys 
Chamber 

In  Gabriels  Item  a  bedsted  ij  course  cubberdw  and  ij  lyttlc  formes.  remanent 

chamber 

Wa^^d^  b  t  [Item  <^'i  olde  bedtester  of  blewe  bokeram  lynyd  wyth  canvas,  geven  to  pore 
Cheneygates     ^^cm  a  whytt  quylt  wyth  a  lambe  brothered  in  the  myddys.  |  Item  a 


Church,  by  Wordsworth  and  Littlehales  (190-1),  p.  142:  'A  few  months  before  he  had 
finished  his  "Golden  Legend"  Caxton  had  issued,  iu  June,  1483,  another  folio  vokmie  of 
somewhat  similar  character.  It  was  an  edition  of  the  "Festial,"  "Festyval,"  or  Liber 
Festivalis,  which  is  ascribed  to  .John  Myrc,  Austin  Canon  of  Lilleshall,  Salop,  cir.  1420, 
author  of  "  Instructions  to  Parish  Priests,"  in  English  verse,  taken  from  the  Pars  Oculi, 
ascribed  either  to  W.  de  Pagula  or  to  Wa.  Paker,  of  Cornwall,  and  edited  by  Mr  Peacock 
for  E.  E.  Text  Soc.  in  1868. 

'  After  a  pious  quatrain,  the  author  of  the  Festival  says : — 

'  "  [By]  Myn  owne  symple  vnderstandynge  I  fele  wel  how  it  fareth  by  other  that  ben  in 
the  same  degree  and  heven  {i.e.  "have")  charge  of  soules,  and  holde  to  teche  theyr 
paryshens  of  all  the  pryncypall  festes  «/(at  come  in  the  yere,  shewyng  vnto  them  what 
the  holy  sayntes  suffred  and  dyde  for  goddes  sake  and  for  his  loue." 

'  And  because  "  many  excuse  theym  for  defaute  of  bookes,  and  also  by  symplenes  of 
connynge.  Therfore  in  helpe  of  suclie  clerkes  this  treates  is  drawen  out  of  Legenda 
Aurea."  

'The  "Festyval  "...  was  printed  at  least  fifteen  times  from  1483  to  1.332.' 


40 


The  Abbot's  House 


X  fetherbedd/s 
w(t/i  bolsters 
pillowes 
couerlett/s 
blankett/.s- 
sold  to  the 
Deane  with 
xxv"'.  payre 
of  shetes  for — 
xiii.li.vj.s. 
viijd. 

m'""  one  payre 
of  shetes  in 
Thystelh's 
chamber 


Redd  sumpter  cloth  niocho  eaten  wyth  Rattw.]    Item  an  olde  coverlet 

sold  to  the  Deane  for  ij.s.  to  geveu  to  pore  folk/s 

of  tapsterye  worke  whytc  and  Red.    Item  ij  olde  matteresscs.  Item 

to  be  geven  to  pore  folku- 
a  Lostcr  [wyth  whyte  liartys]  on  canvas  boster  stuft'yd  wyth  flokkis. 
j  at  Belloys  ij  to  be  sold 

Item  iij  pyllows.  Item  on  old  quysshyn  wyth  whytc  hartys  in  the 
myddi'*'.  Item  one  qnyssliyne  of  tapstre  wyth  grypys  in  the  myddw. 
Item  on  olde  pece  of  Reddc  clothe  in  lenghth  ij  yardys.  Item  on  old 
grene  qui.swhyn  of  tajjstre  wyth  a  grete  Flower  in  the  mydde.ste. 
[Item  an  olde  grene  quinshyn  of  tapstre  wyth  a  Skechyn  and  Jfms  in 
the  myddys.]  Item  on  olde  quis«hon  of  dornyx.  Item  an  olde  (j)u8syon 
t>f  baudckyn.  [Item  iij  lyttcll  pecys  of  lyttcll  bankersp...  of  tap[icwtrc.J 
bokeram  geven  to  Mr.  Deane 

Item  other  iij  pecys  of  blewe  [stayned  cloth].  Item  on  large  coverlet 
of  tapcstrye  set  wyth  Imagcrye  and  lynyd  wyth  canuas  [Item  a  pecc 
of  caiinvas  ij  yardys  longe  and  ell  brode.]  Item  on  pece  of  gi-ene  saye 
wyth  A  border  of  v.  yardys  in  length  hanginge  before  the  grete  prcssc 
in  the  wardcrop.    Item  a  tester  of  paintyd  clothe  wyth  the  coronacyon 

sold  to  Mr.  Deane  for —  xvj.d. 
of  owr  lady  in  the  mydd/*-.    Item  iiij  payntyd  clothes  hanginge  in  the 
warderop.    Item  one  olde  co\erlet  of  them  that  were  laste  bowgth. 
remanent  cum  Episeopo 

excepto  vno.  one  geven  to  the  Deane  &  thother  Temayneth  remanet 
Item  ij  bedstedi'*'.    Item  ij  trokell  bedsteddis  in  the  grete  close  presse. 

sold  to  the  Deane  for — v.s. 
Item  a  grete  cheste  in  the  wardcrope.  Item  ij  i)yllow  berys  of  lokeram. 
Item  an  olde  jielow  bere  wyth  a  redd  border  of  Sylke.    Item  an  pece  of 
olde  stayned  clothe.    Item  A  c-usshyon  coveryd  wyth  whyte  lether  and 
one  remin/iicth  rum  Ep/xco^jo  et  alter 

veuditur  dccano  v.s.  geveu  to  Mr 

stufFyd  wyth  fctliers  ij  bare  liydcs.    Item  an  olde  tyke  fyllyd  wyth 
Deane  rcnia.vueth 

newe  fethers.    An  olde  presso  open  aboue.    Item  a  fethei'bed  wyth  a 

grete  pece  and  a  bolster  to  the  same  A  large  coverlet  of  tappestrye 

with  Imagcrye.    Item  ij  payer  of  fyne  flaxe  shety.s  snme  what  olde. 

j  flaxen  sliete  of  ij  brcdis  dimidium.    Item  ij  payer  of  canvas  shetys  one  payr 

.sume  what  olde.    Item  on  payor  of  large  holand  .shetys  in  IMaster  po^y  "j-o*iijis 

Meltons  Chamber.    Item  ij  payer  of  lokeram  shetis  and  xviij  paj-er  of  one  payre  to 

geven  [sold]  to  the  deaue  [for— iij.. s.  iiij.(?.]  Patche' 
canvas  shetvs.    Item  a  Flaundcrs  clieste  standinge  at  the  stayre  foote  to 

^  bery  hvin 

going  vp  in  to  the  warderop  whych  ys  to  ley  shetys  in.    Item  a  fether 

Ijedde  a  coverlet  and  a  bolster.    Item  a  good  fether  bed  a  Iwlster  a  geven  to  the 


pyllowe  of  downe  a  grete  large  blankettc  mothe  eton  a  coverlet  of 
dornyx.    A  matteres  on  of  them  that  was  laste  bowght  and  a  bolster 


Deane 


'  '  Patchys  chamber '  is  mentioned  just  below.  '  Patches  house,'  near  the  '  dark  entry ' 
and  'privy  dorter,'  is  mentioned  in  the  first  Chapter  Book  (fo.  68,  Jan.  1550;  of.  fo.  74, 
3  Dec.  1552).  A  John  Pache  was  the  abbey  carpenter  in  1446,  and  he  was  succeeded  by 
Bichard  Pache :  see  Mr  Eackham's  '  Nave  of  Westminster '  {Brit.  Acad,  Proceedings, 
IV,  24  «.). 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


41 


In  the  Stable 


Fullers 
Chamber 


Nuttingi.b- 
Chamber 


very  thykke  stufl'ytl  wyth  fethers.  Item  a  counter  \wynt  tlic  groundo 
very  grene  wyth  flowers  &  roses.  [Item  a  counter  payn  kelter  couerlet 
whyohe  was  won  of  them  that  wasse  laste  bought  ij  woUen  blankcttis 
on  of  them  ys  send  to  Hcnden  as  Doctor  sayth.]  Item  a  Kcthcrbcd 
well  fylled  wythe  A  tycke  havinge  blewc  lystys  and  pesyd  at  the  on 

geveu  to  Mr  Deane 

sydo  An  other  fetherbed  very  olde.    Item  ij  olde  pyllowes  of  tykke  and 
geven  to  pore  folk 

well  stuffyd  wyth  Fethers.  A  large  Matteres  of  Floxe  yl  stuffyd  an 
olde  matteres  well  stufi'yd  wyth  Floxes  ij  lyttell  olde  mattercsses  in 
uianntv  nothyng  worthe  An  olde  strall  Item  a  newe  strayll  a  payer  of 
wollcn  1  )lankett«  A  bolster  of  canuas  stuftyd  wyth  fethers  ij  good 
fcther  beddis  on  hauing  a  pcce  in  the  myddcs  and  ij  bolsters  wyth 
daf  decano 

a  jiyllowe  Item  vij  pecys  arras  sortable  of  Imageryc  and  lynyd  wyth 
canuas. 

Item  iij  pecis  of  Tapestry  wit/(  a  fetherbedd  couerlett  Teasto;*/- 
Shetis  and  blankettiV. 

Item  a  newe  matteres  whyche  was  on  of  the  vj  that  was  bought. 
A  newe  coverlett  whyche  was  on  of  the  vj  that  was  laste  bought  A  good 
smalle  tycke  bolster  stutfyd  wyth  Fethers. 


The  Kyng/i 
serurtimt 
Porteuary 
hath  the 
Stuffed 


Item  au  olde  Fetherbedd  wyth  ij  newe  patchys 
hangings  of  Red  saye  wyth  a  border  A  Strayle. 


blankett  Au  olde 


Item  a  fetherbed  a  wt 
leaves  and  trees. 


illeyn  blanket  a  grete  whytc  tpiylte  wythe 


Busbyes 
Chamber 
Patchys 
Chamber 


Item  a  fetherbed  A  large  bolster  A  payer  of  g(jod  woUeyn  blanketis.  Busby  est  f 


Item  a  fetherbed  a  bolster  a  pyllowc  |  Au  olde  coverlet  of  grene 
Tapstre  worke  An  olde  carpet. 


datur  Sibilla 
VVylson  vidua 
geven  to  the 
said  wydowe 
beyinge  a  very 
pore  woman 


m'""  alle  this 
Stuffe  con- 
teyned  in  this 
Inuentory  the 
plate  excepte, 
j'S  the  Priors 
&  of  his  owne 
prouysion 


Thys  is  the  Inuentory  declareyng  the  plate 
the  beddy  ng  and  other  Stuff'  that  belongy  th  vnto 
me  Dan  Dionise  Dalyons  Prior  of  the  Monastei'v 
of  Seynt  Peter  at  V<fe^iminster-. 

ftiw/inys  and  ij  Lathers. 


In  primis  at  the  eutryng  into  my  house  iij  ftiw/inys  and  ij  Lathers,  pro  Dalione 
Item  in  the  Garden  twoo  Styllatoryes.  pro  Decano 

'  'John  Portonari  (see  Suppr.  of  Monasteries,  180;  comp.  Dom.  Pap.  Henry  VIII, 
III,  p.  11,  fo.  1535).'    M.  E.  C.  W. 

-  See  the  discussion  {pp.  .50  ff.)  as  to  the  site  of  the  Prior's  House.  The  portions  taken 
over  by  the  new  dean,  especially  the  furniture  of  the  chapel,  should  be  noted,  as  confirming 
the  conclusion  that  when  the  dean  was  obliged  to  give  up  the  Abbot's  House  to  the  new 
bishop  he  in  his  turn  displaced  the  prior. 


42 


The  Abbot's  House 


In  the  Kcchyn. 

rental/ lu  th  pro  Priore 

Pro  Dalione  In  priniis  a  l>arre  of  Iron  |  a  payre  of  Rackis  and  iij  pothokis. 

lemaijneth 

Item  a  trevctt  |  a  gyrdyron  and  a  boylyng  lead. 
Item  ij  Spytt/'s  ij  Dryppyng  pans  |  and  a  brasou  ladle. 
Item  a  pele  of  Iroue  |  a  Skomer  |  and  a  cleveyng  knyf. 
Item  vj  brason  pottw  |  a  ( 'haffer  and  iij  pannys. 
Item  a  kettle  and  a  frying  pane. 


Ill  the  Buttrye. 

In  priiiiis  ij  pewter  Saltt/s  and  a  pewter  pottell  pott. 

Item  a  jiynt  pott  of  pewter  |  and  v.  Candclstyckw  of  lattene. 

Item  i.x  plattcr.s  v.  dy.s.shcs.  v  .sawcer.s  |  iiij  pottcngers  of  jiewter. 

Temayueth  j  reimyncth 

Item  a  byne  for  brede  |  ij  Chestts  and  a  Chaft'yng  dyshe. 
Item  V.  Drynkyng  glasses  |  iij  kylderkyns  |  and  a  paj'le. 
Item  iij  table  clothes  oon  of  them  Dyape/-  and  the  other  ij  pleyiie. 
Item  vj  Dyaper  napkyns,  viij  napkyn.s  of  pleyiia  clothe  and  iij 
pleyne  towellis. 


sold  to  the 
Deaue 


In  the  Hall. 

In  primi«  Haiigingis  of  old  greiie  say  |  ij  oldc  banckcrs  and  ;i 
standyng  Cupbard. 

Item  ij  tables,  j  payrc  of  trestellw  |  ij  fourmys  and  a  hangyng 
Laumpe. 


xiij.s.  iiijd. 


sold  to  the 
Dcane 


Dantur 
Dalioni 


Dantur 
Dalioni 


In  the  Pailer. 

In  primis  a  complete  hangyng  of  olde  wurm;  sayc  with  a  I 
aiitykc  work  to  the  same  belongyng. 

j  &  ij  carpettfs  dantur  Dalioue 
Item  ij  cupbordis  with  a  carpett  on  cuery  one  of  them. 

Item  an  old  Carpett  in  the  Wyndoo. 

Item  a  table  ij  trestylh's  and  a  carpett  longyug  to  y<^  same. 
Item  ij  fourmys  ij  oheyres  and  i.\  Joynyd  stoUw. 

Item  vij  quysshous  |  ij  awudyrons  and  a  fyre  pane. 
Item  a  fyre  Forke  and  a  peyre  of  bellowes. 


vj.s.  viijd. 


In  the  Chappell. 

recepit  Decanus  n' 
Item  Fyrst  iij  Vestnientw  withowte  albys  |  a  wrytten  masse  boke  | 
recepit  Decanus       recepit  Dalion 
a  sujier  altare  &  a  lytle  Criicitixe. 

recepit  Decanus. 
Item  a  lytle  Empty  Chest  and  ij  peci'*'  of  grene  saye. 


Illiistratice  Documents  and  Notes 


43 


Dautur 
Dalioui 


sold  to  the 
Deane 


In  the  Fyi'st  Chambrc. 
Ill  primis  a  comiilete  hangyug  of  old  wonie  save  and  bokeraiu 
yayntyd. 

Item  a  testour  of  lynnyii  clothe  ixjyntyd. 

temayncth 


Desk  and  a  C'lipberd. 


lenuiyneth 
Item  a  bedsted  and  a  fourme- 
Iteiu  a  choyre  of  Joynyd  Worke  i 
Item  a  pcyre  of  Awndyrons  and  a  uiappc. 

Item  a  Fctherbed  a  bolster  and  a  C'ouerlctt  lynyd  wyth  Sowltwyche 
md  a  mantell  apoiif  the  same  bed. 


ijs.  iiijd. 


Dantiir 
Dalioui 


Dantur 
Dalioni 


In  the  second  Chambrc. 
In  piimis  a  iiewc  complete  hangyug  of  sowltwyche  staynyd. 
Item  a  Sparner  of  Dornix  very  old. 

Item  a  bedsted  a  mattresse  |  ij  blankctt/*-  \  ij  poyre  of  slraylb'.s  ij 
lynytl  couerlettts  ij  lx)lsters  and  a  pyllowe. 

Item  vj  Chesti*'  grett  and  small  |  a  Joynyd  cheyre  and  a  fourme. 
Item  a  bason  of  Pewter. 

Item  ij  stamellw  ij  Doblettts  a  Clokc  |  a  longe  gown  and  a  hose  clothe. 
Item  ij  Cottw  of  clothe  one  of  them  furryd  and  a  cote  of  Say  wyth- 
owte  slevys. 

Item  vij  peyre  of  Shett(s  |  iij  shyrttw  and  v  pyllow  beres. 

Item  vij  kerches  viij  handkerches  and  iij  conrse  wypeyng  towellw. 

l\ein  ij  Cappes  |  ij  bnisshes  |  and  ij  curteyns  of  gi'ene  bokeram. 


Plate, 

[In  primis  a  Flatt  peace  of  sylue/'  p«/-cell  gylte  white. 
Item  xij  spones,  x  of  one  sorte  and  ij  of  another  sort.] 
Item  vj  old  masers  w"'  boudis  of  syluer  and  gylt  v.  of  them  havt 


Datur  Dalioni 

vj  Dantur 
Dalioni 
ij  Dantur 
Dalioni 


[Item  a  couer  of  wood  peyntyd  seruyng  for  a  luaser  haveyiig  at  the 
end  therof  a  kiippe  of  syluer  and  gylte.] 
white 

Item  a  Salte  of  Syluer  [pa/-cell  gylt]  without  a  couer. 
Item  xij  Spones  white  and  a  flatte  pece  white  ponderis — 
Item  vj  masores.  vj  Spones  ponderis — v.  oz.  dimidiKi/i 

and  one  flatte  pece  ponderis — viij  oz. 
and  iiij  inasoures  delyuered  to 
M''  Treixsorer  to  the   Kyngis  vse. 


In  the  niassh-  In  primis  ij  furiiesscs  of  copper  |  A  bygger  and  a  lesser, 
yng  house  1  ytcm  a  masshe  twnne. 

Item  ij  Rudders. 

'  The  brew-house. 


44 


TJie  Abbot's  House 


In  thomelis 
chamber 


In  Saynt 
Johns  House 


In  the 
inylhouse 


In  the  goddi.s 
blessing  house 


In  the  EiUiug 
House 


In  the  bake 
House 


Item  a  tappe  hose  and  a  tapstaf. 

Item  a  grete  colleiuler  |  A  meddlyiig  showyll. 

Item  a  penyall  hatche'  |  A  lyker  batch. 

Item  V  tynes  to  bere  ale. 

Item  a  wort  collcnder  and  a  houell. 

Item  a  gyest-  to  set  ale  apon. 

Item  ij  fyre  pyckes  and  ij  fyre  hookis. 

Item  ij  fyre  I'akts  and  ij  fyre  shovels. 

Item  a  worte  troughe  oflead^. 

Item  ij  old  niyll  stones. 

In  priniis  iij  peyntod  clothes  j  a  table  |  and  ij  formes  and  ij  benches. 
Item  iiij  bymies  to  put  malt  yn  and  ij  malt  baskett<'j>-. 

In  primis  a  myll  with  a  trough. 
Item  a  tubbe  j  ij  treys  and  a  sacke. 

Item   ij  old-^  horses   wherof  one   i/s   hlind'^   with   the  barneys 
perteynyng  to  y''  same. 
Item  ij  whelebarouse. 
Item  an  old  mylstone. 
Item  a  dong  forke. 

In  primis  ij  tubbes  and  a  samon  barell. 
Item  l.xxvij  kyinuels^. 
Item  a  gyest. 

In  primis  iiij  grete  ealing  tunnes  set  with  ledde  rond  about. 

Item  an  old  tubbe  |  and  a  clensing  stole  |  a  tabret  of  lede. 

Item  V.  scooppes  |  ij  ale  gyestis  |  iij  metyngstandis  one  of  x  galons 
an  other  of  vij  and  the  other  of  iiij  galons. 

Item  a  tabret  of  wodde  with  a  hoke  of  yron.  Item  ij  tres  with 
ij  peyr  of  hookis  to  bere  ale  with. 

In  primis  a  pan  of  ctipper  couered  with  bord?'*-  |  an  oven  stocke  of 
yron.    Item  a  gret  molding  bord  and  a  grct  troughe. 

Item  iij  bords  to  set  bred  on.  Item  ij  old  bults  \  x.  sack/«  good  and 
badde  |  A  turne  with  a  spyudle  of  yron. 

Item  a  brake. 

Item  a  pere  of  scales  with  a  weight  of  led. 
Item  an  old  busshell. 
Item  a  payle  of  iiij  galons. 
Item  an  old  Ambery. 

Item  a  pan  which  is  at  the  kynges  pastt'/ye  with  a  trough. 


'  A  vessel  to  brew  penny  ale  in. 

"  '  A  Juste  to  set  Ayle  one,'  below,  p.  46.    Probably  the  same  word  as  'joist.' 
^  The  italicised  words  are  additions  in  another  hand. 
*  A  kimnel  is  a  kind  of  tub. 


Tlhtstrative  Documents  and  Notes 


45 


Abbot  I (>s 

Memorandum  tlie  IDeanes]  Chamber  fuinyssliod  complete  geveii  vnto  hym  by 
the  Kyngis  Comissionecs  '. 

The  Inventorye  of  the  goodis  In  the  Covext  Kych[en]. 

In  primis  ij  greate  boyellers  of  brasc  standyng  In  the  furnes. 
Item  V.  brase  Pott!^  Euory  one  of  quantety  bygger  then  other. 
Item  a  litle  brase  pote. 

Item  a  greate  chaffer  of  l)ullen  niettell''  with  ij  handelb'.s'  and 
w/V//owte  feete. 

Item  a  lesser  chaffer  of  the  same  mettell  with  ij  Eyeres  and  iij  feete. 
Item  iiij  brase  pannes  Euery  one  bigger  then  other  |  itclie  of  them 
liandod  witli  Irone  and  ij  Eyres. 

Item  a  litle  old  brase  pane  vnbownd. 
Item  a  skeuer  shafted  withe  wood. 

Item  ij  cowrsors,  a  mynsyngknyff,  ij  leycliyng  knytf/.s,  and  a  chop- 
pyng  knyff; 

Item  a  fleshe  howke  of  Irone. 
Item  a  collender. 

Item  a  brazen  morter,  with  a  pestell  of  Irone. 

Item  a  chafFyng  dyshe. 

Item  a  greate  bred  grayte. 

Item  a  gi-eate  gredyrone  with  xj  barres. 

Item  a  fyere  shovell,  and  a  colrake  of  Irone  shaftid  with  wood. 
Item  a  peyre  of  Irone  rackis. 

Item  a  longe  greate  tryvet  of  Irone  with  vj  feete  and  iiij  Irone 
barres. 

Item  a  greate  pane  for  froyes  of  bullen  mettell. 

Item  a  greate  fryeng  pane  with  a  slyce  of  Irone. 

Item  iiij  greate  spittw,  iij  skware  and  one  rownd. 

Item  ij  smale  spittis  for  Eles. 

Item  an  Irone  peele  shaftid  with  wood. 

Item  an  axe,  and  iij  Irone  Wedges. 

Item  a  old  greate  cubbard,  standyng  In  the  Kychen. 

Item  a  new  cowpe. 

Item  a  greate  morter  of  stone,  with  a  pestell  of  wood. 
Item  ij  greate  tul)bes  to  water  fyshe  In. 
Item  a  cubbard  at  the  frater  hole^. 
Item  a  [greate]  longe  drepyng  pane. 
Item  a  litle  Saflferne  bottell  of  tyne. 

1  This  appears  to  mean  that  the  Abbot's  Chamber  (shewn  on  the  plan  at  p.  6)  was 
treated  as  the  private  room  of  Dean  Benson  (Abbot  Boston),  and  that  no  inventory  of  its 
contents  was  taken. 

-  So  above,  in  the  Abbot's  kitchen,  we  had  '  BuUeyu  Mettell,'  p.  35. 
'The  frater  hole,'  or  hatch  communicating  with  the  kitchen,  may  still  be  seen  in  the 
south  wall  of  the  refectory. 


The  Abbot's  House 


In  the  salt  Howse. 
Item  ij  bynnes  for  bey  salte. 
Item  ij  barrellis  for  wliytsalte. 
Item  a  otemeyle  tube  with  a  peke  of  otemeyle. 
Item  a  spayd. 

Item  a  kylderkyn  of  varges. 

In  the  blake  parlor. 
Item  a  standyng  bord. 
Item  a  old  chest. 
Item  ij  old  skymeris. 
Item  iij  istand/s  for  Ayle. 
Item  a  Juste  to  set  Ayle  one. 

In  the  Wetlarder. 
Item  ij  broyene  tubb/.s-.    Item  a  old  c\ibbar(l.    Item  iij  grcte  boolb'.?. 
Item  a  greate  tube  standyng,  In  the  entry,  to  hang  meate. 
Item  ij  hand  baskett/s. 

[Ornamentis  of]  Plate  gifyn  by  kyng  Henry  the  vij"'  to  the 

Horse  of  Westminster. 
Fyvst  a  gret  Image  of  o?*?'  Lady  gylte — eccxxij  oz.  d. 
Item  one  Chalys  of  gold  ponderis — xxxs-ij  oz. 
Item  iiij  chalys  gylt. 
Item  vj  chall/s  pa^-cell  gylt. 
Item  vij  pere  of  Cruettis  gylt. 
Item  vj  sacryng  belhs  gylt. 

The  Inuentory  of  the  StufFe  perteynyng  to  the  Oftyce 
of  the  Farmari'. 
The  parlare. 

The  hangyngis  of  Red  and  grene  say  ij  Tabidlis  ij  payer  of  Ti-estullis 
vj  cusshyns  of  Tapartry  with  a  tome  banker  ij  fote  Fourmys  A  peyer 
of  Aundeyrons  A  payer  of  bellowys  A  cheyr  A  Joyned  stole. 

The  Chamber  over  the  Parlar. 
The  hangyngis  of  grene  saye  with  a  boi'der  Aboue.    A  bedsted  with 
a  blewe  Si)arner  A  blewe  corteyne  before  the  wyndowe  A  cupbord  A 
litle  old  bord  |  ij  old  Ghestys  A  turnyd  Cheyer  A  fote  pase  A  litle 
paynted  clothe. 

The  Chamber  ouer  the  botrye. 
The  IIengyngi«  of  Red  .saye  with  a  bordar  aboue.    A  bedsted  with 
a  peynted  sparuer  A  scholf  A  Joyned  benche  with  Awnberes  A  fote 
fo?tnne  A  lytle  presse  And  yron  grate  in  eche  Wyndowe. 

1  i.e.  the  Infirmary  in  the  Little  Cloister. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


47 


The  greto  Parlar  with  .sayiit  Kateryns  Gardyn. 
[The  Hangyngi'i'  of]  A  Table  aiie  old  cupbord  A  close  Benche. 

The  Chamber  next  the  sayd  Parlar. 
The  Hangyng/s  peynted  Clothes  A  Eedsted  ij  shellftV*. 

The  study  \v?'t/iin  the  same  gardyn. 
The  Hangyngis  peynted  clothes  |  A  Roiinde  benche  [  iij  shelftVj}. 

The  Sykmens  Chamber/.^. 
The  Fyrste  liangyil  with  peynted  Clothes  A  Bedsted  with  a  sparner  j 
A  table  |  ij  Trestylh'.s-  |  A  tournyd  oheyer  i  A  forme  ij  l)enchys  |  ij 
shelffis.    The  Second  Chamber  hangyd  with  payntyd  Clothes  |  A  Bed- 
sted with  a  blewe  Sparner  an  old  Chayer  an  old  table  with  fete. 

The  Hall. 

The  Hangyngjj}  of  grene  .saye  |  ij  old  torne  Bankere  |  A  Broken  cup- 
boi-d  ij  Tables  standing  vppon  trestellis  one  forme  |  A  Round  table  for 
oysters.    A  turnyd  Cheyer. 


r.  Adames 

executor 

Testamenti 

Doctoris 

Gorton 


m""*  one  Vest- 
ment geven  to 
the  Churche 
of  Stanes 
iiij  appoyuted 
to  the  Churche 


Seynt  Kateryns  Chappell 
within  the  Farmarj-e. 

[A  pix  of  latyn  with]  a  Canapye  for  the  S;icrament  |  A  litle 
Datur  Ecclesie 

Box  of  syluer  without  a  couer  |  A  Chalesse  with  a  pa(te)n  And  vj 
corporax  casis.  v.  corporaci's.  A  \vestment  of  Russut  satten  with  a 
crosse  of  red  Damask  And  borderyd  with  crymissyneWelloett  with 
And  Albe  And  all  thyng  Belongyng  |  A  Westement  of  Red  Damask. 
The  eros.se  Whyte  Damask  with  Albe  And  All  thyng  belongyng  iiij 
old  Westmenti's  with  one  Albe  and  other  thyngs  for  one  'W'estment. 
iij  course  Awter  clothes  with  iij  front/s  One  Awter  cloth  with  a  front 
of  Whyte  and  redd  Damask  with  ane  ymage  of  Seynt  Erasmus  and 

lynen 

saynt  Laurence'  sett  with  perlh'j?  and  stone,  viij  [h-ned]  Autcr  clothes 
with  ij  short  hand  Towelh's  |  And  old  Caq)ett  apon  tlieauter  A  Crucifyx 
of  wod.  A  table  of  the  dome  iij  latcn  caudelstyk/N  An  holy  water  .stock 
of  laten  with  the  sprynkyll  of  wod  ij  cruettis  of  peuter.  On  candelstyk 
of  yrou  And  iiij  candelstycckis  in  the  wall,  j  uiyssalc  with  one  desk 


'  It  is  probable  that  the  building,  or  at  least  the  completion,  of  the  Infirmary  and 
St  Katharine's  Chapel  in  the  twelfth  century  was  due  to  Abbot  Laurence  (1158—73). 
He  appropriated  to  the  Infirmarer  the  churches  of  Battersea  and  Wandsworth ;  and  his 
anniversary  had  in  consequence  to  be  provided  by  that  officer.  Moreover  there  was  an 
altar  of  St  Laurence  in  St  Katharine's  Chapel  (Customary,  p.  210). 


48 


The  Abbot's  House 


ij  Bokis  ij  Bokis  for  seyiit  Kateryne  A  .Toyned  stole  with  ane  old  lytell 
forme  |  ij  deskis  with  ij  old  bookts  to  saye  se/uice  Apoii  |  a  Sacring  Bell 
with  a  ...tt  Bell,  A  lampe  hengyng  with  a  Corde...paxe,  ij  Blow  curtyns 
before  the  ymagys  |  ij  curtyns  for  the  Auter  of  whyte  and  red  sarcynet 
ij  Gret  chesti«  witli  an  old  payer  of  Organs  without  pypes.  A  here 
with  a  cofyn  for  Ded  men  |  ij  Tabuh'.f  in  the  syde  chappelh'.?  Apon  the 
Auters  |  An  old  chest  in  the  chappel. 

The  Chappel  Chaml)er. 
The  Hangyng  of  payntyd  clothes  A  Bedsted  with  a  Sparner.  A 
close  cheyr  with  a  old  forme. 


First  a  sj'luer  salt  with  a  couer  Item  xij  Syluer  sponys  one  maser 
ij  Basons  A  standyng  Nutte  with  a  cover,  ij  Basons  with  one  evei' 
of  pewter.  Item  a  laten  bason  with  An  ewer  A  quart  pott  All  for 
wyne.  Item  an  Ale  pott  conteynyng  iij  pyntis.  Item  a  mattok  with 
one  spade.  Item  ij  Tabull  clothys  ij  towellis.  Item  vj  Candelstyckis. 
Item  vj  napkyns. 


Furst  pannys  and  kettullis  iiij.    Item  pott/s  of  bras  iiij.    Item  a 


chafur.  Item  a  brasyn  morter.  Item  vij  platts.  Item  v.  dysshes. 
Item  iij  sawcers  Item  a  chafyng  dysshe  Item  a  brasyn  ladyll.  Item 
a  laten  scomer.  Item  a  payer  of  Awndeyrons.  Item  a  fyre  sholue. 
Item  a  ...wderyng^  tubbe  ij  tryvittis.  Item  a  fryyng  pane.  Item  ij 
drepyng  pannys. 


Stuffe  Reraaynyng  in  the  botry. 


Stuftij  Remaynyng  in  kechyn. 


geven  to  Dalyon 


Plate  in  the  fermory. 


Datur  Decano 


Item  vj  masours  of  sundry  sort?'s. 
Item  a  nutte  with  a  couer  gilte. 


cancellatur 
quia  datur 
Dalion 


Item  xij  Spones  [wherof  one  ys  gilte] 

ponderis — xiiij  oz. 
Item  a  salte  with  a  cover  parcell  gilte. 

ponderis— vij  oz.  d. 
[Item  a  large  greate  masour]  garnys. 


Deliberantur 
Thesaurario 
ad  vsum 


domini  Regis 


Lackynge 
[Lackynge 
Busshell] 


Item  a  chalyce  gilte. 


Plate  in  the  Hostery. 


geven  to  the 
Deane 


Item  a  salte  with  a  couer  gilte. 

ponderis — viij  oz. 
Item  vj  syluer  spones. 


Deliberatur 
Thesaurario 


1  Probably  '  a  powderying  tubbe  '  (salting  tub),  as  above,  p.  36. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


49 


white  ponderis — vij  oz.  Deliberatur 

one  Thesaurario 

Item  iij  masoures  wherof  one  ys  a  Stondyng  masour.  Deliberatur 

Item  a  white  pece  of  syluer  ponderis — ix  oz.  Thesaurario 

Item  a  Masour  boll  callid  [the]  Seynt  Edwardis  Masour  garnysshed  Deliberatur 


with  siluer. 


Thesaurario 


geven  to  the         Item  vj  white  pecis  of  syluer  pounced  in  the  bottone.  iij 
Deane  iij  Deliberantur 

Thesaurario 
ad  vsum  Eegis 
ponderis 
xlvi  oz. 


Westminster  Plate  reseruyd  for  the  Kyngis  Maiestie^. 

Churche  plate       Fm-ste,  a  payre  of  greate  syluer  Sensoures,  gilte  ponrfem — 

Item  the  myter  of  white  cloth  garnysshed  complete  with  floures 
of  syluer  gilte  of  dyuerse  sortes  with  stones  comijlete  with  Labellw  of 
the  same  worke  and  garnysshed  weyinge  alle  togethers — 

Item  the  vj"'  myter  for  seynt  Nicholas  Bysshoppe  the  gi-ounde 
therof  of  white  sylk  garnj-sshed  complete  with  Floures  greate  and 
smalle  of  syluer  and  stones  complete  in  them  with  the  scripture  Ora 
pro  nobis  Sa?jcte  Nicholace  embroded  theron  in  pe;-le  the  sydes  syluer 
and  gilte  and  the  Toppis  of  syluer  and  gilte  and  enamyled  with  ij 
Labellis  of  the  same  garnysshed  in  lyke  maner  and  with  viij  large 
bellis  of  syluer  gilte  weyinge  all  togethers —  xxv  oz. 

Item  one  Pecturalle  of  syluer  gilte,  garnysshed  complete  with  course 
stones  and  perles  wantynge  twoo  stones  hauinge  ane  angell  at  the  syde 
and  three  Pyotures  in  the  Myddeste  of  syluer  gilte  ponderis — 

Item  a  Bason  of  Agatha  garnysshed  with  golde  and  xj  greate  stones 
with  their  collettis  of  golde  and  with  v.  other  collettis  of  golde  gar- 
nysshed with  smalle  stones  and  perles  and  iiij  greate  perles  and  vppon 
the  bakesyde  v.  faces  of  golde  alle  weyinge  togethers — 

Item  a  Crowns  of  syluer  gilte  with  iiij  Crosses  and  iiij  flowre  de 
Luci«  with  Doble  wrethes,  aboute  and  betwene  the  wrethes  flowres 
enamyled  complete  rounde  aboute  stondynge  of  viij  Jemous  alle  weyinge 
to  gethers 

Item  iij  endes  of  a  broken  crosse  of  beralle  with  boltes  of  yorne 
garnysshed  with  syluer  and  gilte  weyinge  alle  to  gethers 

Item  a  payre  of  Candelstykkia  gilte  ponderis — 

Item  a  Crucifix  stondyng  open  of  syluer  gilte. 


cclxxiiij  oz. 


xvj  oz. 


xij  oz. 

xxxviij  oz. 

xliiij  oz.  d. 
Ixx  oz. 


1  This  Inventory  belongs  to  the  earlier  set  printed  by  Walcott,  and  repeats  items 
therein  contained.    It  is  given  here  for  the  sake  of  completeness. 

B.  4 


50 


The  Abbot's  House 


Item  twoo  basones  of  syluer  gilte. 

Item  a  bason  and  ane  ewre  of  syluer  parcell  gilte  ^onderis— 

Item  a  salte  wit^oute  a  couer  of  syluer  parcell  gilte  viij  square 

prynted  with  Roses  and  Parcoleys,  ^onderis — 

Item  twoo  Drynkynge  sortable  Cuppis  withoute  couers  chequyred 

T^onderis — 

Item  a  lytell  Drynkynge  Cuppe  of  syluer  white- 
Item  a  stondynge  nutte  withoute  a  couer  of  syluer  gilte  hauynge 

a  man  sleppynge  a  tree  in  the  Toppe  of  the  couer  po?io?erj« — 

Item  a  greate  stondynge  Nutte  with  a  foote  garnysshed  and  a  Couer 

of  syluer  gilte  with  an  acorne  in  the  Toppe  ^onderis — 


H. 

The  Dean's  House  in  the  Bishop's  time. 

The  monastery  was  surrendered  16  Jan.  1540,  and  on  17  Dec.  the 
new  charter  founded  a  bishopric  with  dean  and  chapter.  Wm  Benson, 
the  late  abbot,  was  the  new  dean,  but  his  house  was  granted  to  the 
bishop  on  20  Jan.  1541.  An  inventory  was  taken  of  its  furniture  on 
•  behalf  of  the  king:  part  was  sold  and  part  granted  to  the  bishop  or  the 
dean.    (See  above,  pp.  30 — 41.) 

The  bishop  received,  besides  the  mansion  of  Cheynygates,  the 
buildings  called  the  Calbege  and  the  Blackestole,  being  from  the  Gateway 
Tower  to  the  Blackestole  Tower  (not  inclusive)  88  ft. :  also  all  buildings 
between  these  on  the  west  and  'le  Frayter  Misericorde'  and  the  Kitchen 
on  the  east.  Further,  he  had  a  stone  tower  and  great  barn  in  the  Oxehall, 
and  other  buildings  and  gardens  to  the  south-west.  He  also  had  the 
west  cloister  walk. 

But  the  Frater,  the  Misericorde,  the  Kitchen,  the  Granary  with  its 
tower,  the  Brewhouse  and  the  Bakehouse,  were  not  given  to  the  bishop. 
All  these,  and  the  rest  of  the  precincts,  were  given  to  the  dean  and 
chapter. 

It  would  be  most  natural  to  suppose  that  the  dean  would  have  the 
prior's  house,  which  was  considerable  in  extent,  as  the  Inventory 
shews.  But  hitherto  we  have  been  unable  to  fix  the  position  of  this 
house :  for  Walcott's  suggestion  that  it  was  '  on  the  north-east  side  of 
the  Little  Cloister '  cannot  be  entertained.  We  must  therefore  follow 
other  clues. 


Howssholde 
plate 


Illustrative  JDomiments  and  Notes 


51 


The  first  mention  of  the  Dean's  House  occurs  in  Chapter  Book  I, 
f.  15  a:  water  is  to  he  brought  to  my  Lord's  kitchen,  Mr  Dean's  kitchen, 
and  various  houses  of  prebendaries  and  others,  as  well  as  to  the  church 
and  'saxtri '  (26  Jan.  1544). 

The  next  order  to  be  noted  comes  nearly  two  years  later,  15  Dec. 
1545 ;  and  the  dean  must  by  that  time  have  settled  into  his  house, 
wherever  it  may  have  been.  This  order  (f  28  a)  in  fact  gives  us  the 
first  clue  to  its  position.  '  That  Mr  Dean  and  his  successors  shall  have 
the  Misericorde,  the  Great  Kitchen,  and  all  edifices  betwixt  his  own 
House  and  the  School,  and  the  Great  Garden  with  the  pond  and  trees, 
Avhich  he  hath  now  in  possession.' 

The  same  day  it  was  ordered  that  '  Mr  Haynes  shall  have  pertaining 
to  his  house,  to  him  and  his  successors,  all  the  garden  enclosed  in  the 
stone  wall,  with  the  old  dovehouse,  and  the  house  called  Canterbury, 
with  the  garden  ground  from  his  house  to  Mr  Dean's  garden.' 

Three  years  passed,  and  then  we  read,  15  Dec.  1548  (f  48&),  '  that  it 
shall  be  lawfuU  for  Mr  Dean  to  take  down  the  timber  and  tiles  of  two 
broken  chambers  standing  beside  the  Schoolhouse :  and  also  that  he 
shall  have  the  groxind  of  the  Frater'^  with  the  stone  walls  to  the  augmenta- 
tion of  his  garden :  and  also  that  his  garden  in  the  Farmery,  and  also 
the  Chambers  joining  to  his  house  of  the  Dorter  side  unto  the  Abbot's 
Lodging^  And  that  Mr  Haynes  shall  have  immediately  the  house  with 
the  garden  and  dovehouse,  heretofore  granted  him.' 

These  notices  make  it  clear  that  Dean  Benson  on  leaving  the 
abbot's  house  betook  himself  to  a  house  which  was  on  the  south  side 

'  The  order  to  pull  down  the  Frater  '  forthwith  in  all  hast  for  the  avoiding  of  further 
inconveniens'  had  been  made  on  5  November  1544. 

^  This  expression,  'unto  the  Abbot's  Lodging,'  occurring  in  this  context  has  much 
exercised  me.  For  some  time  I  thought  it  must  mean  'as  an  addition  to  the  Dean's 
house,'  the  word  'Abbot'  having  come  in  by  a  slip  for  'Dean,'  as  WOliara  Benson  who  had 
been  abbot  did  not  die  till  the  next  year.  But  such  a  mistake  appeared  improbable  after 
a  period  of  eight  years.  I  now  believe  that  the  solution  is  to  be  found  by  bringing  side  by 
side  with  it  another  puzzling  expression,  'the  camera  of  the  lord  abbot  in  the  dormitory,' 
which  I  have  recently  found  in  a  roll  of  Henry  Vllth's  time.  Munim.  24,  281  is  an  account 
roll  of  John  Islip,  receiver  of  the  abbot  [viz.  John  Esteneyl,  of  the  year  1496.  On  a  slip 
attached  we  read:  'Memorandum  quod  rem',  in  una  cista  in  camera  domini  abbatis  in 
dormitorio,  in  pecuniis  numeratis  de  pecuniis  predict'  domini  abbatis  et  sub  custodia 
fratris  Johannis  Yslyp,  xxiii"  die  Octob'  anno  xii"  Eegis  Henrici  vii',  DC^i.'  It  would  thus 
appear  that  the  abbot  retained  a  chamber  in  or  adjoining  the  dormitory,  perhaps  with  a 
view  to  an  occasional  conformity  with  the  ancient  rule  by  which  he  was  required  to  sleep 
with  his  monks;  possibly  also  for  his  own  convenience  when  he  had  let  the  Abbot's  Place 
to  the  widowed  queen.  The  term  'unto  the  Abbot's  Lodging'  will  thus  mean,  'as  far  as  the 
old  camera  of  the  abbot  in  the  dorter. ' 

4—2 


52 


The  Abbot's  House 


of  the  refectory,  and  that  various  accessories  were  added  to  his  portion 
by  chapter  orders.    These  accessories  were 

1.  The  Misericorde,  the  site  of  which  we  must  discuss  presently. 

2.  The  Convent  Kitchen. 

3.  Buildings  between  his  house  and  the  School  {i.e.  the  present 
house  of  the  headmaster). 

4.  The  College  Garden,  which  had  been  the  Infirmary  Garden. 

5.  The  site  of  the  Refectory. 

6.  Certain  chambers  next  to  his  house  and  to  the  Dormitory. 

The  site  of  Ashburnham  House  exactly  suits  the  position  to  which 
most  of  these  accessories  point,  and  there  is  no  other  that  will.  If  con- 
firmation of  this  site  be  needed,  it  will  be  found  presently  in  the  lease 
which  was  made  of  the  '  Dean's  House,'  when  the  dean  got  possession 
of  the  abbot's  house  at  the  reconstitution  under  Queen  Elizabeth. 

It  is  evident  that  the  new  dean  secured  for  himself  the  lion's  share 
of  the  divisible  territory  after  the  bishop's  requirements  had  been  met. 
The  new  chapter  contained  six  of  the  old  monks  and  six  clerics  from 
outside.  Five  of  the  latter  obtained  the  first  five  stalls;  then  came 
Dionysius  Dalyons,  the  former  prior,  in  the  sixth  stall,  followed  by  the 
five  other  monks :  another  outsider  had  the  twelfth  stall.  The  chapter 
orders  of  the  earliest  period  contain  interesting  notices  which  enable 
us  to  discover  a  good  many  of  the  houses  in  which  these  new  pre- 
bendaries were  settled.  Obviously  the  prior,  who  came  sixth  on  the 
list,  could  not  expect  to  keep  his  old  house,  which  the  Inventory 
shews  us  to  have  been  of  considerable  extent.  It  is,  as  we  have  said 
above,  natural  to  suggest  that  the  prior's  house  went  to  the  new  dean ; 
and  the  suggestion  is  placed  beyond  reasonable  doubt  when  we  observe 
in  the  Inventory  how  large  a  portion  of  its  furniture  is  noted  as  having 
been  sold  or  given  to  the  Dean. 

We  now  give  an  extract  from  the  first  lease  of  the  '  Dean's  House ' 
(Reg.  V.  f.  70),  which  offers  interesting  topographical  details. 

This  Indenture  the  xxvi'i^  daie  of  March  in  fourth  yere  of  the  raigne  of  our 
soveraigne  Ladie  Elizabeth... betwene  Gabriell  Goodman  Deane  of  the  Church 
Collegiate  of  saint  Peter  in  Westm"^  and  the  Chapitor  of  the  same  place  of  thone 
partie,  and  Dame  Anne  Parrie  wydowe,  late  wief  of  Sir  Thomas  Parrie  knighte, 
disceassed,  and  William  Norrys  of  Jolly  John  in  the  countie  of  Berks  Esquyer,  and 
Thomas  Bromeley  of  the  Inner  Temple  in  London  gent  of  the  other  jjartie  Wytnesseth 
that  the  said  Deane  and  Chapitor. ..for  and  in  consideracion  of  the  surrendre...of  one 
greate  mansion  house  or  messuage  sett  lying  and  beinge  within  the  precincte  and 
close  of  the  late  dissolved  Monasterie  of  Westm''...late  in  the  teanure  and  occupacion 
of  the  said  Sir  Thomas  Parrye  knighte.. .and  of  all  houses,  barnes,  stables,  orchards, 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


53 


gardens,  cdificons,  and  buyldinges  belonging  or  in  any  wise  appertayningo  to  same 
greate  mansion  house  or  messuage,  have  demised... unto  the  said  Dame  Anne  Parrye 
all  that  their  house  or  messuage  comenly  called  or  knowen  by  the  name  of  the 
Deanes  house,  sett,  lying  and  beinge  within  the  said  precincte...now  in  the  teanure 
or  occupacion  of  the  said  Deane  with  cill  houses,  Charabres,  lodgings,  edifices  and 
buildinges  to  the  said  mansion  house  or  messuage  onl^-e  iu  any  wise  belonging  or 
apperteyninge.  And  also  one  greate  Chambre  called  the  misericord,  and  all  that 
their  kytchynne  comenly  called  or  knowen  by  the  name  of  Covente  kytchynne  with 
a  lytle  severall  courte  to  the  same  kytchynne  adioyninge  and  lyinge  on  the  south 
syde  of  the  s;ime  kytchyn  and  butting  upon  the  schole  house  towerdes  the  weaste 
with  all  other  houses  offices  edifices  comodities  and  buildinges  to  the  said  gi-eate 
covente  kytchyn  iu  any  wise  belonginge  or  apperteyninge.  And  also  one  pryvie 
adioyning  to  the  said  scole  house  and  to  the  said  lytle  Courte,  And  also  all  that 
their  gardyne  lyinge  betweue  the  said  house  called  the  Deanes  house  and  the  greate 
cloister  on  the  south  and  north  partes,  And  also  the  free  use  profyte  and  comoditie 
of  the  w-ater  conduite  within  the  saide  house  called  the  Deanes  house,  And  also  two 
stables  and  one  barae  now  in  the  occupacion  of  the  said  dame  Anne,  And  also  free 
waie  with  passage  from  the  saide  house  called  the  Deanes  house  unto  the  Church 
called  Westm'"  Church,  and  free  waie  and  passage  from  the  same  Chiu-ch  unto  the 
said  house  called  the  Deanes  house.. ..Except. ..one  Chambre  scituate  and  being  at 
the  easte  ende  of  the  galerie  within  the  said  Deanes  house  leading  by  a  stayre  into 
the  covente  garden  there,  And  also  one  other  rowme  or  chambre  there  adioyninge  to 
the  said  Chambre  on  theast  side  therof.  And  also  all  houses,  all  granaries,  stables, 
buildinges  and  edifices  scituate  and  beinge  on  the  weaste  syde  of  the  waie  leading 
from  the  saide  Deanes  house  unto  the  gate  there  leading  into  the  bowlyng  Alley.... 
To  have,  hold. ..during  the  naturall  lyef  of  the  said  Dame  Anne  Parrye,  and. ..unto 
the  said  Thomas  Bromeley  and  William  Norrys...from  the  day  of  the  death  of  the 
said  Dame  Anne  Parry  unto  thend  and  tearme  of  sixe  yeres...yealdinge... three 
poundes  sixe  shillinges  and  eighte  pence.... 

The  Dean's  House  was  afterwards  in  the  occupation  of  William 
Norrys;  then  of  Sir  John  Fortescue ;  and  in  1621  of  his  granddaughter 
Jane  Poulteney.  Then  the  remainder  of  the  lease  was  assigned  to  Sir 
Edw.  Powell  for  £1000  in  1628,  and  he  had  a  new  lease  in  1629.  In 
this  lease  {Munim.  35,772)  we  find  the  following  additional  clauses: 

One  peece  of  ground  lying  on  the  west  side  of  the  .said... Deanes  house,  contayning 
in  length  on  the  west  side  towards  the  Schoolemaisters  Gaixlen  Thirtie  seven  foote, 
and  in  breadth  from  the  said  house  att  the  South  end  towards  the  way  leading  from 
the  said  house  to  the  Colledge  yeard  fowerteene  foote,  and  in  breadth  from  the  South 
west  Corner  of  the  ould  Kitchen  westwards  Eight  foote  of  assize,  which  said  peece 
of  ground  is  latelie  built  uppon. 

Except... two  Chambers  scituate  lying  and  being  att  the  East  end  of  the  Gallary 
within  the  said  house... sometymes  leading  by  a  st;iire  into  the  Covent  Garden  there ; 
both  which  are  now  converted  into  a  great  paire  of  staires  and  a  passage  into  the 
new  Schoole  house  there. 

*«»»«*»****«** 


54 


The  Abbot's  House 


As  well  all  that  theire  Roome  with  thappurtenances  as  it  is  now  severed  aud 
devided... being  under  part  of  the  Schoole  house... and  the  same  abutteth  upon  the 
way  or  passage  that  leadeth  from  the  great  Cloysters  unto  the  little  Cloysters...on 
the  West  and  South  parts,  and  upon  the  lodgings  of  Doctor  Robinson  and  late  of 
Mr  Hacklute  on  the  East  part,  and  upon  a  Colehouse  or  place  for  wood  late  in  the 
tenure... of  William  Neile  gent  deceassed  on  the  North  part,  and  the  said  demised 
Roome  is... now  or  late  used  for  a  Colehouse  or  place  to  laye  wood  in :  (also  a  wood- 
house  under  the  Gate  leading  from  the  said  demised  house  into  the  CoUedge  Yeard 
and  being  over  the  Comon  Sewer  there). 

The  later  story  of  this  house  is  told  by  Mr  Harry  Sirr  in  his  valuable 
paper  on  Aslihurnham  House  in  Journal  of  R.I.B.A.,  vol.  xvii,  no.  5, 
where  a  conjectural  plan  of  its  condition  in  Elizabethan  times  is  given. 


I. 

The  Site  of  the  Misericorde. 

When  Walcott  published  the  Suppression  Inventories,  he  drew  a 
tentative  plan  of  the  monastic  buildings  by  the  aid  of  scattered  notices 
found  in  these  Inventories,  in  the  first  Chapter  Book  and  in  the 
mutilated  MS  of  Abbot  Ware's  Customary.  Ever  since  that  time  the 
Misericorde  has  been  identified  with  a  long  range  of  buildings  running 
parallel  with  the  Refectory  and  separated  from  it  by  about  50  feet 
of  open  ground.  Practically  the  whole  of  this  range  is  now  included 
in  the  southern  portion  of  Ashburnham  House. 

When  Mr  Micklethwaite  wrote  his  Notes  on  the  Abbey  Buildings  at 
Westminster,  he  accepted  this  identification  of  the  site  of  the  Misericorde. 
He  regarded  the  point  as  settled  by  the  terms  of  the  grant  made  to 
Bishop  Thirlby  of  the  abbot's  house  in  1541.  Apart  from  this  he 
would  have  been  inclined  to  place  the  Misericorde  at  the  west  end  of 
the  Refectory,  in  a  position  similar  to  that  of  the  '  Loft '  at  Durham 
which  served  the  same  purpose. 

The  question  deserves  a  more  accurate  treatment  than  it  has  hitherto 
received ;  and  the  publication  of  the  Customary  facilitates  the  enquiry. 
This  important  document  belongs  to  the  period  before  the  great  fire 
of  1298,  which  seriously  injured  the  monastic  buildings,  and  led  to 
their  ultimate  reconstruction,  which  was  only  completed  under  Abbot 
Litlyngton  a  century  later. 

In  the  Customary  we  find  the  terms  domus  tnisericordiae  (pp.  83, 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


55 


101,  123  bis,  131  bis,  134  fF.,  177),  and  misericordia  in  the  same  sense 
(pp.  100,  124,  130  f.,  178).    Moreover  the  following  sentences  occur: 

p.  149.  The  cellarer  must  maintain  in  repair  not  only  the  roof  of  the  dorter, 
&c.,  but  also  '  tecturam,  mensas  et  fenestras  refectorii  atque  illiiis  domus  eidem 
contiguae,  quae  misericordia  vocatur.' 

p.  227.  Abbot  Richard  Ware  in  1275  ordered  'ne  unquam  de  cetero  fi'atres  laici 
convei"si  cum  fratribus  in  domo  quae  misericordia  nuncupatur  aliquo  modo  publice 
aut  privatim  loquantur.' 

p.  229.  A  mutilated  sentence  regarding  the  'fratres  conversi'  ends  with  the 
words,  'in  refectorio  maxime,  aut  in  domo  quae  juxta  refectorium  misericordia 
nuncupatur.' 

A  passage  on  p.  135  mentions  the  lights  required  in  the  Misericorde, 
and  also  the  serving-hatch  towards  the  kitchen : 

Et,  quia  de  misericordiae  domo  superius  fit  mencio,  sciendum  quod  inter 
cenandum  tempore  misericordiae  tres  super  mensam  cerei  accendentiu",  et  super 
quemlibet  cereum  duae  candelae  ponentur  accensae,  et  duae  ad  fenestram  hinc  inde 
accendentur,  una  videlicet  iuterius  et  altera  ex  parte  coquinae :  quas  quidem  octo 
candelas  singulis  noctibus  subsacrista  portabit  ibidem. 

A  certain  sacrist  is  severely  blamed  (p.  136),  who  had  once,  '  in- 
decenter,'  caused  lights  to  be  carried  into  the  Misericorde  from  tables  in 
the  Refectory  at  which  bat  few  brothers  were  dining. 

The  Customary  of  St  Augustine's  Canterbury,  which  is  derived  from 
that  of  Westminster,  seems  to  indicate  that  the  Misericorde  there  was 
in  the  Infirmary.  It  is  called  '  domus  misericordiarum '  in  the  Refor- 
maciuncula  of  Abbot  Nicholas  de  Spina  (1273 — 1283),  which  forms  one 
of  the  earlier  portions  of  the  book ;  and  in  the  later  part,  where  the 
Westminster  book  is  followed,  the  Misericorde  is  omitted  from  the 
list  of  buildings  (p.  195)  which  the  cellarer  has  to  maintain. 

We  gather  then  that  in  the  13th  century  the  Misericorde  at  West- 
minster was  a  building  contiguous  to  the  Refectory,  and  had  a  serving- 
hatch  by  which  food  was  served  from  the  kitchen.  It  seems  therefore 
that  the  site  suggested  by  Mr  Walcott,  and  generally  accepted,  cannot 
be  justified  for  the  earlier  period  before  the  time  of  Abbot  Litlyngton. 

In  his  description  of  the  probable  site  of  the  kitchen  (Notes,  p.  30), 
Mr  Micklethwaite  notices  '  a  Norman  wall  running  from  the  south  side 
of  the  Frater  [at  right  angles  to  it,  and  a  little  east  of  the  existing 
serving-hatch],  in  which  wall  are  two  round-headed  windows,  high  up, 
which  shew  it  to  have  been  the  east  side  of  a  building.'  This  building, 
he  thinks,  was  not  the  kitchen,  but  may  have  been  the  larder.  Is 
it  not  possible  that  this,  or  at  least  the  upper  part  of  it,  was  the 
Misericorde  ? 


56 


TJie  Abbot's  House 


The  next  document  with  which  we  have  to  deal  is  nearly  three 
centuries  later,  and  we  must  allow  for  the  possibility  of  the  rebuilding 
of  the  Misericorde,  and  even  for  the  possibility  of  a  new  site.  By 
letters  patent  of  King  Henry  VIII,  20  Jan.  1541,  the  newly  constituted 
bishop  of  Westminster  was  granted  the  abbot's  house,  called  Cheyny- 
gates,  and  certain  other  parts  of  the  monastic  buildings'.  Among  these 
were  '  the  Calbege  '  and  '  the  Blacke  Stole,'  which  together  formed  the 
northern  portion  of  the  long  range  on  the  east  side  of  the  present 
Dean's  Yard,  extending  to  '  the  Blacke  Stole  Towre,'  88  ft.  from  the 
entrance  tower  under  which  is  the  passage  to  the  cloister : 

Ac  omnia  edificia  terras  et  solum  existentia  inter  predicta  edificia  vocata  le 
Calbege  et  le  Blackestole  ex  parte  occidentali  et  edificia  et  domos  vocatas  le 
ffraj'ter  misericorde  et  magnam  coquinam  conventualem  vocatam  le  greate  covent 
kechen  dicti  nuper  monasterii  ex  parte  orientali. 

This  portion  seems  to  have  been  a  yard  with  certain  minor  buildings 
to  which  no  particular  name  could  be  attached,  lying  between  the 
Calbege  and  Blacke  Stole  on  the  west  and  the  Misericorde  and  kitchen 
on  the  east.  The  order  in  which  the  boundary  buildings  are  mentioned 
suggests  that  the  Misericorde  was  north  of  the  kitchen,  just  as  the 
Calbege  was  north  of  the  Blacke  Stole.  There  is  certainly  nothing  in 
this  description  which  fixes  the  Misericorde  in  the  position  generally 
assigned  to  it.  The  site  above  suggested,  next  to  the  Refectory,  would, 
however,  suit  the  words  admirably  well. 

The  '  Mysericorde '  is  mentioned  in  one  of  the  Suppression  Inventories 
printed  above,  but  no  indication  is  given  as  to  its  site. 

We  pass  now  to  the  earliest  Chapter  Book,  from  which  we  have 
already  quoted  certain  orders  (above  p.  51). 

The  order  of  15  Dec.  1545,  which  assigns  the  Misericorde  to  the 
dean,  appears  to  have  been  hitherto  interpreted  as  if  it  were  of  a  much 
earlier  date  and  referred  to  the  original  provision  of  a  residence  for  the 
dean.  But  plainly  he  is  already  in  '  his  own  house,'  and  is  also  in 
possession  of  'the  great  garden,'  i.e.  the  present  College  Garden.  Three 
additional  portions  are  here  assigned  to  him  and  his  successors:  the 
Misericorde,  the  Convent  Kitchen,  and  the  buildings  between  his  own 
house  and  the  School  (i.e.  the  present  house  of  the  headmaster).  It  is 
most  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  order  in  which  these  portions  are 
enumerated  is  from  north  to  south :  so  that  once  more  we  are  led  to 
place  the  Misericorde  immediately  south  of  the  Refectory. 

1  See  above,  Appendix  F. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


57 


On  26  Mar.  1562,  after  the  dean  had  moved  to  the  old  Abbot's 
Place,  there  was  granted  a  lease  (from  which  we  have  quoted  extracts 
above)  to  Lady  Anne  Parry,  widow  of  Sir  Thomas  Parry,  who  surrenders 
'  one  great  mansion  house  within  the  precinct '  [Vaughan's  House],  and 
gets  'the  Deanes  house... now  in  the  teanure  or  occupacion  of  the  said 
Deane...and  also  one  greate  Chambre  called  the  misericord,'  and  the 
'Covente  kytchynne  with  a  lytle  severall  courte...on  the  south  syde  of 
the  same  kytchyn  and  butting  upon  the  schole  house '  (Reg.  v,  f  70 : 
cp.  Ch.  Bk.  I  f  108  h). 

On  2  Mar.  1571  we  have  an  order  (f  141  h)  '  that  the  howse  whyche 
the  Lady  Anne  Parye  widow  now  hath  in  lease,  which  in  tyme  past  was 
the  deanes  howse,  shall  after  the  expiracion  of  her  lease  be  grauntid  and 
assigned  unto  two  of  the  prebendaries ^'  Immediately  following  this  is 
the  order : 

Item  it  is  decreed,  that  the  olde  kitchyn  hertofore  called  the  covent  kytchin  and 
a  howse  called  in  tymes  past  the  Misericorde,  now  dimised  among  other  thinges  to 
the  Ladye  Anne  parrye  widow  ;  and  also  the  old  chapell  somtyme  called  St  Katheryns 
chapell  in  the  lesse  cloistre  shalbe  taken  down,  and  the  tymbre  and  stuif  thereof  to 
be  reserved  to  thuse  of  the  College  by  thadvise  of  the  sm-veiour  of  the  same  Colledge. 

As  Lady  Anne  Parry  was  responsible  for  repairs,  a  release  had  to  be 
given  her:  and  so  we  read  (f.  142  h)  under  date  24  Mar.  1571 : 

A  release  to  dame  Anne  parry  etc.  for  the  reparing  of  the  great  convent  kitchyn 
and  the  Misericorde. 

Two  documents  in  the  Register  (vi  f  18)  describe  the  surrender  by 
Lady  Anne  Parry,  Thomas  Bromeley  Esq.,  Solicitor  General,  and  William 
Norres  Esq.,  of  the  Misericorde  and  Kitchen,  and  their  release  from  their 
obligation  to  repair  them.  Both  bear  the  date  1  June  1571,  though  by 
error  the  xii*  is  written  for  the  xiii''''  year  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  The 
terms  in  which  the  buildings  are  described  are  of  importance ;  for  they 
shew  that  the  Misericorde  was  not  on  the  ground-floor,  but  had  beneath 
it  certain  premises  belonging  to  the  Kitchen. 

(1)  'All  that  greate  Chamber  called  the  mysericorde,  and  all  that  kitchin 
comenlie  called  or  knowen  by  the  Name  of  the  Covent  Kitchin,  and  a  lytle  Severall 
Courte  to  the  same  kitchin  adioyninge  and  beinge  on  the  South  syde  of  the  same 
kitchin  and  abuttingc  upon  the  Scole  house  towardes  the  Weste,  and  all  other 
nouses,  offices,  edifices,  Commodites  and  buyldinges  beinge  parcell  of  the  same 
Covent  Kitchinge  in  any  wise  belonginge  or  apperteyninge  or  beinge  directelie  under 
the  saide  Grete  Chamber  the  misericordes.' 

'  This,  as  we  have  seen,  was  not  carried  into  effect. 


58 


The  Abbot's  House 


(2)  Release  from  the  repair  of  '  the  greate  Covente  Kytchin  and  the  Chamber 
caHid  the  misericorde,  and  of  all  houses,  edyfyces,  bwyldinges  dyrectlie  under  the 
said  misericorde  Chamber,  and  to  the  said  Covente  Kytchiu  belonginge  or  apper- 
teyninge.' 

This  last  item  of  information  resolves  what  would  have  been  a 
difficulty  in  our  suggested  identification  of  the  site  of  the  Misericorde : 
for  almost  immediately  to  the  west  of  the  Norman  wall  which  we  suppose 
to  have  been  the  east  side  of  the  Misericorde  there  still  exists  in  the 
wall  of  the  Frater  a  serving-hatch,  supposed  to  be  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  and  there  appear  to  be  traces,  on  the  side  of  this  hatch  next  to 
the  kitchen,  of  the  lower  part  of  two  vaulting  shafts.  If  there  was  a 
vaulted  chamber  under  the  Misericorde  which  formed  part  of  a  passage 
to  the  kitchen,  all  the  facts  fit  in  well  together. 

If  this  suggestion  should  prove  to  be  beset  with  difficulties  of  which 
I  am  not  at  present  aware,  I  would  fall  back  on  the  alternative  possibility 
that  the  Misericorde  was,  as  at  Durham,  a  Loft  at  the  west  end  of  the 
Refectory.  In  any  case,  the  two  facts  which  are  of  decisive  importance 
in  the  enquiry  are  that  the  Misericorde  was  '  contiguous  '  to  the  Refectory 
and  that  it  was  upstairs. 

J. 

Notices  relating  to  the  Deanery. 

1.  Chapter  Book  I  f.  019  v. 

'xxiv  December  1565,  a°  Eliz.  viii°.  It  is  decreed  by  the  dean  and 
chapter  that  of  xlviti.  xiiis.  ivd.  remaining  in  thands  of  the  said  dean, 
of  suche  money  as  was  graunted  to  the  college  by  Gabriell  Paulyn\  there 
shall  be  bestowed  as  foUoweth  by  the  discretion  of  M'  dean  and  M""  Yong, 
viz.  All  the  hanging  given  by  M''  Doctor  Bill  to  the  college  shalbe 
lyned;  the  gallery  chamber  in  M""  deanes  lodging  and  the  pallet  chamber 
adioyning  to  the  same  shalbe  furnished  w  bed,  bedding  and  other 
implements  convenient  to  serve  for  the  Electors  of  schollers  and  other 
like  affaires  of  the  college ;  and  if  the  same  money  shall  extende  therunto, 
two  silver  potts  of  like  fashion  and  weight  as  other  of  the  college  potts 
of  silver  be,  shalbe  bowghte  to  the  college  use.' 

2.  Mrniim.  39,389. 

'Chardges  &c.'  of  Thomas  Fowler  surveyor.  Mar.  1575 — 6. 

1  See  Register,  p.  58,  Covenant  with  G.  Paulyne  of  Sheperton.  May  we  identify  him 
with  Gabriell  Palley,  who  is  mentioned  at  the  beginning  of  the  Inventory  (above,  p.  30)  ? 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes  59 


Under  'Glassier':  'In  the  Audite  house  and  under  M''  Deanes  parler 
wyndow  and  in  other  places  made  of  new  glasse....' 

Under  'Joyner':  'for  making  of  Shelves  for  M''  Deanes  Chamber  and 
Bracketes  to  them.' 

3.  Munim.  39,392.    Similar  '  Chardges,'  Aug.— Oct.  1576. 

'  Plasterers  occupied  not  only  in  Sellinge  and  Plastering  the  Seller 
and  Thentry  before  the  Kitchen,  But  also  in  whightwasshinge  the  Long 
galler}^e....Matlaiers  occupied  in  new  mattinge  of  the  Long  gallerye  and 
mending  the  Chamber  where  my  Lord  Russell  did  lye^' 

'To  Lewis  Lizard  for  the  new  paintinge  the  Large  galleiy  with 
blacke  and  whighte  and  the  windows  also  being  so  letten  by  gret — 
xxxs.' 

(Smyth)  '  for  mending  a  Candelsticke  with  a  Joint  for  M''  Deanes 
Chamber... for  a  double  Casement  for  one  of  the  Logings  in  the  Corte 
under  the  parler.' 

4.  Munim.  40,192. 

'  for  a  hook  to  kepe  open  a  gate  in  M'  Deanes  Coort — vid.' 

5.  Munim.  Book  7. 

A  memoriall  of  sundrie  things  performed  in  five  yeares  by  the 
Deane  and  Chapter  of  Westminster  in  the  time  of... Richard 
Neile.... 


1606.  1°  Builded  for  the  bettering  of  the  Deane's  lodginge:  one 
Bedchamber  and  a  Chimney  in  it,  a  pallett  Chamber  and  a  house  of 
Office  to  yt  with  a  bricke  vault,  the  said  Bedchamber  wainscotted  over 
and  about  the  Chimney  and  the  windowes  and  a  wainscott  Portall  to  yt. 

'  John  Lord  Russell:  s.  of  Francis  earl  of  Bedford  who  d.  1585.  He  m.  in  1574 
Elizabeth  widow  of  Sir  Thos.  Hoby  and  d.  of  Sir  Anthony  Cook  and  sister-iu-law  to  Cecil. 

Elizabeth  Lady  Hoby  must  have  been  a  friend  of  Dean  Goodman  :  for  in  SPD  Eliz. 
Addenda  (1566—79)  p.  6  there  is  a  letter  from  Sir  Th.  Hoby  to  Sir  W.  Cecil  (7  Apr.  1566) 
referring  to  tiie  decayed  state  of  Dover  Castle :  '  The  Dn  of  Wmi"  who  has  conducted  us  so 
far,  and  has  also  been  a  witness  of  it,  can  testify  thereto.'  Eliz.  Lady  Hoby  was  with  him, 
crossing  the  Channel.  She  mentions  her  'cousin  Wotton'  as  meeting  them  (he  and  Lord 
Montagu  were  returning  from  Bruges?).    Hoby  d.  at  Paris  13  July  1566. 

She  m.  Lord  Kussell  in  1574,  and  on  account  of  the  plague  'was  allowed  by  the  Dean 
to  await  her  delivery  in  a  house  within  the  Precincts'  (Stanley,  Memorials,  ed.  3,  p.  219). 
'Lord  Eussell's  letter  to  the  Queen  announcing  the  birth  is  dated  at  Westminster  College' 
(ibid.). 

Ch.  Bk.  9  Feb.  1582/3,  Lease  renewed  to  my  Lord  Russell. 

He  died  1584,  and  the  learned  Elizabeth  his  lady  composed  his  epitaph  iu  the  Abbey. 


60 


The  Abbot's  House 


2°  Deane  Goodman's  ould  Bedchamber  seeled  with  deale,  wainscott- 
wise  and  a  h^rge  Presse  in  it  and  3  new  iron  double  rabited  Casements 
putt  into  the  windowe  of  that  Chamber. 

3"  Twoe  large  Presses  to  laie  apparall  and  necessaries  in  neere  to 
the  Deane's  Chamber. 

4°  Part  of  the  middle  Chamber,  betwixt  the  Bedchamber  and  the 
Studie  wainscotted  sutable  to  the  Portalls  there. 

5°  A  studie  with  a  Closett  in  it  well  furnished  and  fynished  with 
shelves  deske  Table  and  the  stone  wall  betwixt  them  and  the  shelves 
lined  thorough  with  slitt  deale,  and  a  double  Closett  under  the  aforesaid 
new  built  Bedchamber  made  with  shelves,  a  Presse  and  a  great  nest  of 
great  boxes  for  writings  and  papers,  the  Parlor  somewhat  enlarged,  and 
18  yardes  of  wainscott  there  sett  upp  sutable  to  the  rest;  The  Cellers 
under  Jerusalem  with  some  other  roomes  elsewhere  seeled  with  lime 
and  haire. 

6°  The  locks  altered  and  some  new  plate  lockes  made  and  new 
kaies  made  thoroughout  all  the  Deanes  Lodgings: 

Upon  all  which  spent  neere  .200*'.  for  which  the  Colledge  paid  not 
past  100*'. 

Item  built  for  the  Deanes  use  a  large  Stable  sufJficient  to  receave 
16  Geldings  with  a  haie  loft  over  yt,  a  Coachehouse,  a  Saddlehouse  and 
a  Chamber  for  the  Groomes  and  Coach-man,  and  a  Gate-house  neere  to 
the  Stable  with  a  Chamber  over  yt,  which  is  added  to  the  Lawndresse's 
house  all  which  cost  about  100*'. 

Item  made  in  the  Deane's  little  Gallerie  .2.  new  large  stoole 
windowes,  the  upper  windowes  in  the  Scholler's  Chamber  fitted  with 
frames  of  wood  and  the  same  glased;  A  newe  [Ji]nne(?)  made  for  the 
Storehouse,  and  some  tymber  provided  for  necessarie  uses  about  the 
Churche;  All  which  coste  the  Some  of  20*'. 


Paid  to  the  Bishopp  of  Elie  that  now  is,  and  to  Henrie  Isackson  his 
man  for  the  wainscot  ting  on  the  little  Chamber  on  the  foreside*  of 
Jerusalem  Chamber,  and  the  making  upp  and  glasing  of  the  new  stone 
windowe  in  that  Chamber  with  the  Armes  in  that  windowe,  and  for  the 
wainscotting  that^  Chamber  and  studie,  in  which  Henrie  Isackson  lay 
with  some  other  stuffe  in  that  Chamber,  as  the  Bill  of  the  particulars 
will  shewe — 60*'. 

Bestowed  in  anno  1606,  in  divers  particulars,  as  the  lyning  of  all  the 
Colledge  hanging  thorough'  with  new  strong  canvas. 
'  A  rough  draft  has 'farside.'         Draft:  ' wenscot  in  the. '      ^  Draft:  'through  out. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


61 


2°    divers  Chambers  and  the  Galleries  newe  matted. 

3°  the  Bed  in  the  Chamber  on  Jerusalem  side  furnished  with  a  Rugg 
blanketts  pillowes  sheetes  and  pillowbeeres,  Curtaines  of  greene  kersey' 
lined  with  tafifeta,  and  laced^  sutable  to  the  ould  vallence  of  that  Bedd. 

4°  Curtaines  of  draught  worke  and  lined  with  buckeram  to  the 
windowes  of  that  Chamber,  and  the  like  Curtaines  for  the  gi-eat  window 
of  Jerusalem  Chamber  with  Curtaine  rodds  hooks  and  rings  to  them  in 
both  Chambers. 

5°  and  some  twentie  yardes  of  wainscott  sett  upp  in  Jerusalem 
Chamber,  sutable  to  the  rest  of  the  wainscott  there;  to  the  some  of  30*'. 


Item  in  lewe  of  a  Chest  of  Violls  of  7*'.  price,  which  I  bought  to  have 
remained  in  the  CoUedge,  I  have  and  doe  leave  in  the  Deanes  lodginge 
to  become  as  Colledge  goods,  twoe  great  Standards  bound  with  yron  and 
twoe  Locks  upon  each  of  them,  the  one  standing  in  the  Deane's  new  Bedd- 
chamber  to  locke  upp  the  Colledge  plate',  the  other  in  the  Closett  within 
the  Deanes  Studie  for  necessarie  uses,  Both  being  well  worth  10*'. 


3.    Treasurer's  Accounts  for  1606. 

'  Item  paied  to  Roger  Edwards'*  for  thinges 
provyded  for  the  gallerye  Chamber. 

Item  paied  for  a  Curtin  of  dorm[-]  for  the  inner 
gallery  Chamber  with  ii'  v'f  for  Rings  rope  and 
makinge. 

Item  for  three  blanckets  for  the  gallery  at  xvj^ ' 
a  peece  with  vi**  for  caryadge.  \ 


lllj  vi"" 


xvij^  viu" 


xlviij^  \f 


Item  paied  to  Richd  Ellison  for  matts  for  the)  .  ■■■^ --^ 
gallerye  and  newe  Chamber  as  appeareth  by  bill.     J  ^^^"^ 


Item  paied  to  the  late  Deane  for  the  wainescott 
in  the  Chamber  over  the  Parlor  and  Studdye  ther 
for  two  portalls  and  for  wainescott  in  the  Chamber 
at  the  ende  of  the  gallerye  by  the  garden  and  for  a 
portall  ther  and  for  divers  other  parcells  as  by  a 
bill  therof  made  particularly  appearethe^ 
(Side  note  by  Neile,  as  follows :) 


xxir'  vij"  vj" 


>  Draft:  'Carsey.'  ^  d 

*  He  appears  earlier  as  vergifer. 
'  This  bill  exists;  see  'Reparations, 


'looped.' 

(also  the  next  two). 


Draft  adds  'in.' 


62 


The  Abbot's  House 


Mdn  that  neyther  the  mapes  with  liuerye 
bedsted  on  Jerusalem  side,  nor  any  part  of  any 
thinge  left  at  Cheswicke,  were  any  part  of  these 
things  heer  pd  for,  for  the  Deane  pd  for  those 
twelve  pounds  besides. 

Item  paied  to  Henrye  Isackson'  for  wainescott ' 
in  the  Chambers,  Comonlye  Called  the  Clerke  of 
the  Kitchins  Chambers  viz'  the  Inner  Chamber 
and  the  Utter  Chamber  and  for  wainescott  in  the  xxiv*' 
Studdye  and  for  dores,  Crosse  garues,  handles,  locks. 
Casements,  hings,  bolts,  srrnes  (?),  glasse,  keyes,  and 
dyvers  other  implements  as  by  a  bill  therof  made 
particulerly  appearethe.  ^ 
(Side  note  by  Neile,  as  follows  :) 

The  Deane  and  Chapter  thought  good  to  pay 
for  these  things  rather  then  to  put  the  Coll 
servants  to  pay  for  them  though  the  roomes  be 
allotted  for  the  registers  and  the  Clerk  of  the 
Kitchin's  lodginge. 

(William  Man,  supervisor  of  works)... et  pro 
expensis  edificandi  novum  Cubiculum  super  Am- 
bulacrum sive  porticum  iuxta  aulam  Collegii.. ..' 

7.  Treasurer's  Accounts  for  1607. 

'  Item  paied  to  J ohn  Clarke  Joyner  for  2  yards  j 
2  foote  of  wainscott  for  the  Chimney  in  M''  Deanes  >  xxviij^ 
Studdy  and  for  other  things  as  appeareth  by  bill.  ! 

For  furnishing  of  the  Colledge  Bedd  in  Jeru- 
salem syde '  (full  particulars  follow). 

8.  Treasurer's  Accounts  for  1608. 

'  Item  paid  to  Richd  Ellison  Upholster  for  divers  \ 
necessaryes  about  Jerusalem  side  as  appeareth  by  i 
the  bill  of  the  particulers  delivered  me  by  Robt  i 
Knowles.'  j 

'  He  appears  earlier  as  clericus  coqnlnae,  and  slIko  procurator  hospitii:  in  1607  Bobert 
Knowles  has  taken  his  place. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


63 


9.  Glazier's  Bills  for  1605/6  and  1606  give  the  following  names 
of  Chambers : 

M"^  Deanes  studye  next  the  lyttell  garden. 
Deanes  bed  Chamber. 
For  the  Nursery. 

For  the  Closett  next  the  Churche. 
For  the  two  newe  wyndowes  in  the  gallery, 
(second  bill)    For  M""  Deanes  greate  chamber. 
For  the  parlor. 

For      Deanes  newe  lodginges. 


10.  With  the  '  Memoriall '  (no.  5)  two  other  documents  should  be 
closely  compared : 

(1)  Munim.  6611  (+  6622),  Inventory  of  Neile's  time  [not 
Goodman's]. 

(2)  Munim.  6612,  Inventory  (embod3ring  the  former) — Mountain  to 
Tounson,  with  notes  of  Williams's  time,  including  payment  for  chimney- 
piece  in  Jerusalem. 

(1)  (2) 

New  bedchamber  14 

Pallet  Chamber  15 

M"^  Deane  Goodmans  olde  bedchamber  16 

Entry  to  the  aforesaid  newe  bedchamber  13 

Oratorie  within  M'"  Deane  Goodmans  bedchamber  17 

Lobby  betwixt  the  bedchamber  and  the  middle  Chamber  12 

Middle  Chamber  18 

Studdy  19 

Clossett  within  the  Studdy  20 
Clossett  upon  the  midle  of  the  Staires  going  to  the  aforesaid  Chambers    1 1 
Clossetts  on  the  Gallerie  Side — uttermost  Clossett  | 
Inner  Clossett  J 

Chamber  betweene  the  Gallery  and  the  Parlour  8 

Gallerie  Chamber  3 

Little  Chamber  +  Gallery  4  +  5 

The  great  Chamber  called  Jerusalem  2 

The  Stone  Galleiy  in  the  garden  6 

The  Parlour  7 

Gallery  neere  the  Parlour  9 

Chamber  over  the  Gate  23 

Chamber  called  the  nursery  21 

Rogers  Chamber  22 

Hall  1 


64 


The  Abbot's  House 


The  figures  on  the  right  give  the  order  of  the  rooms  in  (2),  which  contains  also 
at  the  end :  '  In  the  Chapter  Clerkes  and  in  the  Gierke  of  the  Kitchens  Chamber  and 
Studdie,'  and  '  In  Henry  Northedges  Chamber.' 

11'.    Munim.  12,650  and  12,651. 

Inventory  of  'goods  belonging  to  D""  Williams  yet  remaining  at 
WrS.'  [1653]. 

2  dozen  and  halfe  of  Turky  work  Chaires. 

2  dozen  of  woodden  chaires  with  Penrhyn  and  Chock  willan  armes 
thereon^ 

Severall  peeces  of  gilt  leather  hangings  now  about  the  litle  Gallery. 
1  dozen  of  chaires  suteable. 

1  green  suite  of  Curteyns  Vallance  and  counterpanes. 
6  peeces  of  Turky  hangings. 

Goods  of  his  with  M""  Salloway. 


12.    Mvnim.  12,652. 

In  obedience  to  your  Hon""^  order  of  Satterday  the  4""  of  June  1653. 

I  have  perused  the  paper  which  I  received  from  M""  Williams  his 
servant,  and  I  finde  that  the  2  dozen  and  halfe  of  Turkey  worke  chayres 
there  mentioned  were  belonging  to  the  late  Deane  of  Westminster 

Williams. 

I  finde  the  2  dozen  of  wooden  chayres  with  his  armes  painted  on 
them  which  stood  in  the  lower  Gallery,  to  bee  his. 

The  dozen  of  guilded  leather  chayres  which  stoode  in  the  painted 
Gallery  next  to  the  Committy  chamber  to  bee  allso  his. 

The  guilded  leather  Carpett  which  M""  Salloway  borrowed  lying  on 
a  table  in  the  same  Gallery  was  his. 

But  for  the  guilded  leather  which  hangeth  about  the  other  Gallery 
it  hath  beene  there  about  the  space  of  30  yeares  and  I  know  not  to 
whom  it  belongs. 

And  for  any  thing  mentioned  in  the  said  paper  besides  these 
particulars  they  are  none  of  my  Lords. 

This  is  certified  to  your  honours  grave  wisdome  by  mee  your 
hon'''  humble  servant, 

Adam  Brown. 

1  I  have  put  this  and  the  next  two  items  in  advance  of  their  order,  as  they  relate  to 
Dean  Williams. 

-  Second  copy  has:  "2  dozen  of  woodden  chayres  in  the  low  Gallery.' 


i 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes  65 

13.  Munim.  12,645. 

*  Att  the  Comittee  for  the  Colledge  of  Westm'  sittinge  in  the 
Deanes  House  in  the  said  Colledge  the  l?^**  Day  of  Aprill  1646. 

Whereas  a  Study  of  Bookes  in  the  late  Deanes  House  ordered 

that  Sir  John  Trevor  (who  hath  the  key  of  the  said  Study)  be  Desired 
forthwith  to  Deliver  the  Possession  of  the  said  Study  of  Bookes  to  the 
said  Doctor  Williams  or  to  whom  he  shall  appoint  he  first  giveinge 
Security  That  after  his  Death  they  shall  be  sent  to  St  John's  Colledge 
in  Cambridge  accordinge  to  the  former  guift  of  the  said  Docter  Williams. 

14.  Munim.  42,764  F. 

18  October  1650,  received  of  M""  Browne  for  making  a  doore  way  in 
the  towar  chambar^  and  mending  the  step,  and  finding  the  plaistar,  the 
sum  of  4s. 

15.  Munim.  42,765. 

Aprill  27th  1650.  A  generall  Bill  for  altering  the  Towar  Chamber 
for  the  Right  Hon'''*  the  Lord  President: 

(1)  The  Carpenter,  'oen  dower  and  tow  gutters  and  puting  tyes  in 
the  flower  and  Rafters  in  the  Rowef...for  takin  up  the  flower  and  laying 
it....' 

^  This  is  the  room  in  the  S.W.  Tower  now  called  'Bradshaw's  Chamber' — recently 
dismantled.  In  Neile's  Memoriall  (see  above,  no.  5)  we  find:  'Bestowed  an"  1608,  in  the 
ould  Belfrie  over  the  Consistorie,  in  stone  worke  Iron  worke  bricke  worke  and  timber  worke 
to  make  an  Evidence  house,  which  is  yet  left  unfinished,  bestowed  there — 37ii.  13s.  5d.' 
It  would  seem  that  some  documents  had  been  put  into  it,  but  that  Dean  Williams  finding 
it  was  practically  deserted  made  it  into  a  chamber  for  his  servant.  For  in  the  '  Heades 
for  the  Deanes  Answer  to  the  Objections  of  the  4  Junior  Prebendaryes'  we  read:  '  Ob.  10. 
Item  whereas  it  is  enacted  that  the  Kegisters  and  evidences  which  concerne  the  Churche 
be  orderlye  layd  up  in  their  distincte  and  severall  places  within  some  Eoome  appointed 
for  that  purpose  as  hath  been  formerlye  accustomed,  the  said  Lord  Bishopp  to  make 
roome  for  his  howsehold  servante  hath  cawsed  the  said  writinges  and  evidences  to  be 
remooved  out  of  the  place  wherein  they  had  before  bin  kepte,  some  to  the  private  Custody 
of  the  Eeceivour  Generall  of  the  said  Churche,  and  others  to  the  dwellinge  howse  of  the 
Chapter  Gierke  in  the  Towne  of  Westm"',  soe  that  wee  knowe  not  whither  to  repaire  upon 
anye  searche,  nor  in  what  safetie  the  said  evidences  and  writinges  are.  Resp.  These  lesser 
Evidences  were  alwayes  kepte  in  the  Custodye  of  our  Register  and  Eeceivour  Generall. 
And  soe  they  are  still.  Our  Charters  and  Endowments  are  safely  kepte  in  our  Muniment 
howse.  Noe  man  but  knoweth  where  to  make  his  searche,  and  that  more  readilye  then 
heretofore.'    [Munim.  25,095.] 

A  Carpenter's  bill  in  1740  begins :  '  In  Laying  on  the  Bridgings  to  the  floor  of  Bradshawa 
Roome,  Strikeiug  away  the  Scaffold  to  the  North  West  Tower,  Hoysting  up  the  Stuff  to 
the  South  West  Tower,  hording  the  window  in  Spirituall  Court....' 

R.  5 


66 


The  Abbot's  House 


(2)  The  Plumber.  'Two  gutters  of  lead... new  lead  added  unto 
ould.' 

(3)  The  Bricklayer.  '  talking  the  Chimbley  downe  in  the  Towar 
and  maiking  the  way  to  sett  up  a  new  one,  finding  nothing  but 
workmanship,  £1.  4.  6.' 

[Total,  £6.  3.  3.] 

16.  Munim.  42,766. 

General  bill  for  work  done  'on  the  top  of  the  two  towers":  £140. 
'On  the  tower  for  building  the  roomes  there':  thirteen  loads  of  oak 
(£25),  new  sheet  lead  (£48),  fourteen  casements  (£7),  143  ft.  of  new 
glass  (£4.  3.  0). 

17.  Munim.  42,766  (2). 

'  For  setting  upp  a  Rale  at  the  topp  of  the  Tower  round  about  the 
stares.' 

18.  Munim.... 

Abstract  of  the  severall  Orders  made  touching 
the  Deans  House  Westm"^. 
Att  a  Meeting  of  the  Governors  of  the  Schoole  and  Almes  Houses 
of  Westm''. 

23  March  1649.  Ordered  viz'. 
That  the  Roomes  hereafter  mencioned  viz',  The  Jerusalem  Chamber 
the  Lower  and  the  upper  Gallaries  the  two  Chambers  adioyning  with 
the  Garretts  over  them  being  all  on  the  West  Side  of  the  late  Deanes 
Howse  with  a  Passage  from  the  Hall  to  the  Jerusalem  Chamber  and 
the  Gardine  adioyning  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  the  Governors  for  the 
tyme  being  and  not  to  be  Lett  to  any  Person  or  Persons  whatsoever. 

Eodem  Die. 

That  the  Roomes  hereafter  mencioned  viz'.  The  Hall  the  Buttery 
and  Pantry  the  Cellars  the  Kitchin  the  Pastorie  and  the  Larder  with 
convenient  Passages  to  them  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  the  SchoUars  for 
the  time  being  and  not  to  be  Lett  to  any  Person  or  Persons  whatsoever, 

1  By  the  'two  towers'  are  meant  the  two  Southern  turrets  of  the  S.W.  Tower.  On 
these  Bradshaw  built  two  wooden  chambers  connected  by  a  wooden  bridge.  They  are 
figured  in  David  King's  drawing  of  the  South  Aspect  of  the  Abbey  Church  in  Dugdale's 
Monasticon  (first  edition),  vol.  i,  facing  p.  58  (a.d.  1655).  But  in  Hollar's  drawing  of  the 
W.  front,  facing  p.  60,  these  turrets  are  shewn  a  stage  lower  than  the  others,  as  they  were 
before  Bradshaw's  building  was  made. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


67 


Eodem  Die. 

That  the  Roomes  hereafter  mencioned  viz'' :  The  Parlour  a  Chamber 
goeing  to  it  three  Chambers  above  the  Parlour  a  Studdy  the  Tower 
Chamber  a  Gallery  two  Roomes  above  the  Kitchen  a  Buttery  a  Cellar 
a  Cole  Howse  and  Wood  Howse  the  Private  Gardine  betwixt  the 
Cloysters  and  the  Howse  with  convenient  Passages  to  them  Part  of 
the  late  Deanes  Stable  unlett  and  the  Coachhowse  nowe  in  the 
Possession  of  the  Lord  President  be  Lett  unto  his  Lordship  for  the 
terme  of  40  yeares  if  he  live  so  Long. 

27  March  1650. 

Uppon  hearing  the  Report  of  the  Committee  appointed  to  receive 
what  the  Lord  President  should  offer  concerning  the  Former  order 
of  the  Governors  about  that  Part  of  the  late  Deanes  Howse  they  are 
resolved  to  Lett  to  his  Lordship.  It  is  ordered  That  the  Further 
consideracion  thereof  be  referred  untill  the  meeting  of  the  Governors 
on  this  Day  Seavenight. 

4°  Aprill  1650. 

That  the  Custodie  of  the  Roomes  and  Gardine  formerlie  Reserved 
by  the  Governors  and  the  use  of  them  at  all  such  tymes  as  they  or  any 
by  their  Appointment  shall  not  make  use  of  them  for  the  Service  of  the 
Colledge  or  Common  Wealth  be  Graunted  unto  the  Lord  President 
under  the  Seale  of  the  Governors  dureing  the  Tearme  of  his  Lordships 
life. 

4''^  April  1650. 

That  the  Parcells  of  the  late  Deanes  Howse  and  Stable  be  Lett  unto 
the  Lord  President  for  the  terme  of  40  yeares  if  his  Lordship  and  his 
Lady  or  either  of  them  shall  Live  soe  Long. 

20'''  July  1650. 

That  the  Lord  President  shall  have  the  Lodgings  which  M*^  Paye 
deceased  formerlie  had  and  that  they  be  put  into  his  Lordships  Lease 
of  the  house. 

27*''  October  1649. 
Two  Generall  Clauses  Voted  to  be  putt  into  all  Leases  to  be  made 
by  the  Governors  (viz*-). 

(1)  That  the  Lessee  shall  not  Alien  nor  sett  the  Leased  Howses 
without  the  Consent  of  the  Governors. 

(2)  That  the  Tennants  shall  both  Putt  the  saide  How^ses  in 
Repairacions  and  so  keepe  them  and  soe  Leave  them. 

5—2 


68 


The  Abbot's  House 


17'''  July  1652. 

That  the  Buisnesse  concerning  the  howse  which  the  Lord  Bradshaw 
holdeth  be  taken  into  Consideracion  on  this  day  fortnight. 

20'^  November  1652. 
That  Sir  William  Masham  Lord  President  of  the  Councell  of  State 
M''  Blagrave  M'  Gourdon  Coll  Purefoy  M""  Millington  M'  Lowe  and  Sir 
John  Hippesley  or  any  two  or  more  of  them  be  appointed  a  Committee 
to  state  the  Matter  of  Fact  concerning  the  house  the  Lord  Bradshawe 
holdeth  as  alsoe  what  rent  is  fitt  to  be  sett  for  the  said  Howse  for  time 
Past  and  to  come  and  to  consider  of  the  charges  that  the  said  Lord 
Bradshawe  hath  bin  at  in  and  about  the  said  Howse  and  report  theire 
opinions  thereof  to  the  Governors  on  this  day  fortnight. 

Eodem  Die. 

That  M''  Browne  and  such  other  person  or  persons  as  the  Committee 
shall  think  fitt  doe  attend  them  concerning  the  buisnesse  of  the  howse 
which  the  said  Lord  Bradshawe  holdeth. 

Ver:  Cop:  Ex'': 

per  Johannem  Squibb. 

[On  the  outside  in  the  same  hand:  'Lord  Bradshawes  Papers.' 
Bradshaw  was  Lord  President  1649 — 52.] 

19.  Munim.... 

Some  consideracions  fitt  to  be  propounded'  to  the  Committee 
of  the  Governors  appointed  to  state  matters  of  fact  concerning  the 
house  which  the  Lord  Bradshawe  houldeth: 
That  part  of  the  house  which  is  intended  to  be  leased  to  the  Lord 
Bradshawe  containes  onely  a  hall  or  parlor,  a  gallerie  a  kitchin  a  dineing 
chamber  and  withdrawing  roome  adioyning  to  it,  the  Tower  chamber, 
some  three  Lodging  chambers  a  studie,  with  some  other  odd  roomes 
not  worth  the  mencioning,  all  which  are  exceeding  smokie,  ly  at  such 
a  distance  as  that  they  have  noe  dependance  one  upon  another;  the 
quiet  of  them  is  perpetually  disturbed  by  the  Schollars  and  otherwise, 
and  thes  roomes  being  put  into  very  good  repaire  cannott  be  worth 
above  per  annum. 

The  little  house  formerly  in  M''  Payes  houlding  containes  onely 
4  little  Smoakie  roomes,  and  twoe  closets  being  placed  upon  the  top 

*  A  parallel  document  (now  with  the  Busby  papers)  is  endorsed  in  Bradshaw's  own 
band:  'My  Paper  touching  the  Deanes  House,  &c.,  propounded  for  consideration.'  From 
it  an  extract  has  been  quoted  on  p.  14. 


Illustrative  Documents  mid  Notes  69 


of  the  Cloysters  right  over  against  Col.  Humphreyes  house.  This  house 
of  Col.  Humphreyes  is  far  larger  and  more  convenient  haveing  Cellerage 
&c.  which  the  other  wants  and  is  now  let  at  8"  per  annum,  soe  as  if  his 
lordship  have  the  like  measure  that  others  have  it  cannott  be  valued  at 
above  5"  yearely. 

The  stable  houlds  about  10  horses  and  2  coaches  and  is  worth  about 
10"  yearely. 

His  Lordship  hath  already  disbursed  in  repaires  ] 
and  building  upon  the  freehold  as  appeares  by  the  >  218  :  17  :  10  : 
bills 

And  is  to  bestowe  in  necessary  repaires  to 
make  it  tenantable  as  appeares  by  the  Certificate 
of  M'^  Carter  and  M""  Stephens  to  whom  it  was 
referred  by  this  Committee. 

In  all      368  :  06  :  05  : 

The  house  and  premisses  being  subject  to  casualties  and  repaires 
cannott  for  a  Lease  for  21  yeares  or  2  lives  be  valued  to  be  worth  above 
7  yeares  and  a  halfes  purchase  and  300*'  of  the  Summe  above  (and  being 
accounted  as  payd  by  way  of  ffine)  will  at  that  rate  strike  off  40*'  a  yeare 
of  the  rent. 

If  it  be  objected  the  roomes  built  upon  the  2  towers  were  not 
necessary  but  built  for  pleasure. 

It  will  receive  this  Answere  that  it  was  necessary  to  cover  the 
towers  with  leade  to  preserve  them  and  the  very  leade  came  to  46*' 
as  appeares  by  the  plummers  bill,  and  the  other  materialls  which  are 
left  upon  the  freehould  besides  workmanship  come  to  at  least  40*'  more 
and  the  whole  worke  came  to  140*',  soe  as  there  wilbe  but  54*'  to  be 
deducted  out  of  the  68**  :  6'  :  5"*  :  remaineing  above  the  300*'  before 
mencioned  to  be  accounted  as  payd  by  way  of  ffine. 

20.    Munim.  42,916. 

Order  (23  Sept.  1654)  to  draw  up  the  Lease. 
Lease  of  Deanery  to  John  Bradshaw. 
This  Indenture  made  the  Thirtith  daie  of  September  in  the  Yeare 
of  our  Lord  One  Thowsand  Six  Hundred  Fiftie  and  Fower.  Betweene 
the  Governors  of  the  Schoole  and  Almes  Howses  of  the  Citty  of 
Westminster  in  the  Countie  of  Midds  of  the  one  part  And  John 
Bradshaw  seriaunt  att  Lawe  and  Cheife  Justice  of  Chester  of  the  other 


149  :  08  :  07 


70 


The  Abbot's  Hoiise 


part  Witnesseth  that  the  said  Governors  takeing  notice  of  the  great 
and  extraordinary  Charges  expended  and  laid  out  by  the  said  John 
Bradshawe  in  and  about  the  Repaires  and  inlargement  of  the  Capitall 
Messuage  and  other  the  buildings  heereafter  mentoned  amounting  as 
hath  beene  made  to  appeare  to  Seaven  Hundred  and  Sixtie  poundes 
In  Consideracon  thereof  and  of  the  yearly  Rent  heereafter  in  and  by 
theis  presents  reserved  Of  theire  owne  free  assents  and  Consents  for 
themselves  and  theire  Successors  Have  in  pursuance  of  the  power  to 
them  given  by  the  Parliament  Demised  graunted  and  to  flfarme  letten 
And  by  theis  presents  doe  Demise  graunt  and  to  ffarme  let  unto  the 
said  John  Bradshawe  all  that  Capitall  Messuage  or  Tenement  Commonly 
Called  or  Knowne  by  the  name  of  the  Colledge  or  the  late  Deanes 
House  of  the  Collegiate  Church  of  Peters  in  the  Citty  of  Westminster 
in  the  County  of  Middlesex  scituate  lying  and  being  on  the  South- West 
end  of  the  said  Collegiate  Church  within  the  said  Citty  and  Libertie 
and  the  Roome  called  the  Tower  Chamber  together  with  the  Roomes 
lately  built  upon  the  Two  Towers  adioyning  to  the  said  Church  by  the 
said  John  Bradshawe  And  alsoe  the  Pipes  or  Qille  of  head  Waters  and 
Watercourses  to  the  said  Capitall  Messuage  or  Tenement  belonging 
And  alsoe  the  Stable  Coach-howses  usually  occupied  with  the  said 
Capitall  Messuage  or  Tenement  together  with  the  Hayloft  and  Roomes 
over  the  said  Stable  and  Coach-howses  scituate  and  being  in  Stable- 
yard  in  the  said  Citty  and  the  Pipe  or  Quill  of  Lead  Water  and  Water- 
course with  the  said  Stable  now  used  occupied  and  enioyed  And  alsoe 
all  those  buildings  and  Lodgings  upon  the  South- West  Corner  of  the 
great  Cloysters  in  Westminster  aforesaid  and  next  adioyning  to  part  of 
the  said  Demised  premisses  with  the  Appurtennces  heeretofore  in  the 
tenure  or  occupaton  of  Nicholas  Pay  Esq''  deceased  somtime  Auditor 
to  the  late  Deane  and  Chapter  of  Westminster  aforesaid  And  alsoe  the 
Garden  comonly  called  the  Deanes  privie  garden  adioyning  to  the 
Deanes  Yard  And  alsoe  all  those  other  buildings  and  lodgings  scituate 
and  being  upon  the  East  part  of  the  said  Great  Cloysters  in  Westminster 
aforesaid  with  theire  and  every  of  theire  Appurtennces  late  or  heeretofore 
in  the  tenure  or  occupacon  of  Colonel!  John  Humphries  deceased  his 
Assignee  or  Assignes  And  the  little  Garden  lying  betweene  the  great 
Cloysters  and  the  said  Capitall  Messuage  together  alsoe  with  the 
respective  Waies  and  passages  leading  in  to  the  said  Collegiate  Church 
and  the  Great  Cloyster  And  all  other  waies  waters  easements  profitts 
coinodities  and  emoluments  to  the  said  Demised  premisses  belonging 
or  to  or  with  the  same  usually  occupied  or  enioyed  or  accepted  reputed 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes  71 


taken  or  knowne  as  part  parcell  or  member  thereof  Except  and  forth 
of  this  present  demise  ahvaies  reserved  the  Great  Dyning  Hall  the 
Kitchen  the  Cellar  under  the  Hall  the  Pastry  the  Larder  Pantry  the 
Butlers  Chamber  and  the  Cole-howse  without  the  gate  now  used  and 
occupied  for  the  use  of  the  Schollers  And  Excepting  to  the  Governors 
and  theire  successors  att  the  times  of  Electon  the  free  use  of  Jerusalem 
Chamber  if  they  shall  see  Cause  And  alsoe  Except  the  Chambers  lately 
used  by  M''  Byfeild  which  are  sett  apart  for  the  use  of  the  Mynisters 
that  preach  the  morninge  Lecture  During  the  time  that  the  same  shalbe 
soe  imployed  onely  and  not  otherwise  And  alsoe  except  the  Chamber 
called  the  Governors  Chamber  And  the  Clossett  there  with  the  Gallery 
leading  thereto  And  alsoe  Excepting  the  use  of  ail  that  waie  or  passage 
leading  to  and  from  the  sd  garden  gate  to  the  Gallery  for  the  Use  of 
the  said  Governors  and  theire  Successors  and  such  as  shall  attend  them 
att  such  times  as  they  have  occasion  to  use  the  same  for  the  service  of 
the  said  Schoole  and  Almeshowses  And  alsoe  excepting  the  Porters 
Lodge  To  have  and  to  hould  the  said  Capitall  Messuage  or  tenement 
and  all  and  singular  the  said  Demised  premisses  with  theire  and  every 
of  theire  Appurtennes  (Except  before  and  in  manner  and  forme  before 
Excepted)  unto  the  said  John  Bradshawe  his  executors  Administrators 
and  Assignes  from  the  nyne  and  Twentith  daie  of  September  last  past 
before  the  date  of  theis  presents  for  and  during  and  unto  the  full  end 
and  terme  of  Fortie  Yeares  from  thence  next  and  ymediatly  ensuing 
fully  to  bee  compleat  and  ended  in  as  full  and  ample  manner  as  the 
late  Deane  of  the  said  Collegiate  Church  of  Westminster  or  any  of  his 
Predecessors  had  held  occupied  or  enioyed  the  same.  Yeilding  and 
paying  therefore  yearly  during  the  said  terme  unto  the  said  Governors 
and  theire  Successors  or  to  the  Receiver  Generall  or  Collector  of  the 
Revenue  belonging  to  the  said  Schoole  and  Almes-howses  of  Westminster 
for  the  time  being  or  theire  Deputie  or  Deputies  in  that  behalfe  the 
sume  of  Thirtie  poundes  of  good  and  lawful!  money  of  England  to  be 
paid  halfe  yearly  Att  or  in  the  now  Common  Dyning  Hall  of  the 
Colledge  of  Westminster  att  or  upon  the  Five  and  Twentith  daie  of 
March  and  Nyne  and  Twentith  daie  of  September  yearly  by  even  and 
equall  porcons.  The  first  payment  thereof  to  Commence  and  beg}Tin 
on  the  Five  and  Twentith  daie  of  March  next  ensuing  the  date  of  theis 
presents.  And  the  said  Governors  for  themselves  and  theire  Successors 
Doe  heereby  graunt  unto  the  said  John  Bradshawe  the  Custody  and 
use  of  the  said  Chamber  called  the  Governors  Chamber  and  the  Gallery 
Leading  thereunto  att  such  time  or  times  as  the  said  Governors  or 


72 


The  Abbot's  House 


theire  Successors  shall  not  make  use  of  them  for  the  service  of  the  said 
Schoole  and  Almes-howses.  To  have  and  to  houlde  the  use  and  Custodie 
of  the  said  two  last  menconed  Roomes  to  the  said  John  Bradshawe  his 
Executors  Administrators  and  Assignes.  For  and  dureing  and  unto  the 
full  end  and  term  of  the  aforemenconed  terme  of  Fortie  yeares  fully  to 
be  compleat  and  ended  And  the  said  John  Bradshawe  doth  for  himself 
his  Executors,  Administrators  and  Assignes  Covenant  and  Agree  to  and 
with  the  said  Governors  and  theire  Successors  by  theise  presents  that 
hee  the  said  John  Bradshawe  his  Executors  Administrators  and  Assignes 
shall  and  will  att  his  and  theire  proper  Costs  and  Charges  from  tyme 
to  tyme  and  att  all  times  during  the  said  terme  when  and  as  often  as 
neede  shall  require  well  and  sufficiently  repaire,  sustaine  and  amende 
all  the  said  demised  premisses  and  the  same  soe  well  and  sufficiently 
repaired  sustained  and  amended  shall  and  will  leave  and  yeilde  upp 
unto  the  said  Governors  and  theire  Successors  att  the  end  of  the  said 
terme.  And  alsoe  that  it  shall  and  may  be  lawfull  to  and  for  the  said 
Governors  and  theire  Successors  and  to  their  Surveyor  of  the  said  Schoole 
and  Almeshowses  for  the  time  being  or  any  of  them  into  the  said  demised 
Premisses  and  every  or  any  part  thereof  att  all  convenient  times  during 
the  said  terme  to  enter  and  the  same  to  Survey,  and  if  any  defaiilt  shall 
happen  to  be  in  the  repairacons  That  then  upon  monicon  or  warning 
to  be  given  to  the  said  John  Bradshawe  his  Executors,  Administrators 
and  Assignes  or  left  in  writing  att  the  said  demised  premisses  of  the 
said  defects  the  same  shalbe  sufficiently  repaired,  sustained  and  amended 
within  six  monethes  next  after  such  monicon  or  warning  to  be  given 
or  left  in  writing  as  aforesaid  And  if  it  shall  happen  that  the  said  yearly 
Rent  of  Thirtie  poundes  or  any  part  or  parcell  thereof  shalbe  behind 
and  unpaid  by  the  space  of  Twentie  daies  next  after  any  of  the  said 
daies  appointed  and  lymitted  for  payment  therof  in  which  the  same 
ought  to  be  paid  as  aforesaid  being  lawfully  demaunded  Or  if  the 
reparacons  of  the  demised  premisses  or  any  part  or  parcell  therof  with 
the  Appurtennces  bee  not  made  and  done  within  Six  monethes  next 
after  such  monicon  or  warning  therof  to  be  given  or  left  in  writing  as 
aforesaid  That  then  and  from  thenceforth  it  shall  and  may  be  lawfull 
to  and  for  the  said  Governors  and  theire  Successors  into  the  said  demised 
premisses  or  any  part  therof  to  reenter  and  the  same  to  repossesse  and 
have  againe  as  in  theire  former  estate  This  Indenture  or  anything  therin 
Conteyned  to  the  Contrary  therof  in  any  wise  Notwithstanding.  And 
the  said  Governors  for  themselves  and  theire  Successors  Doe  by  theis 
presents  Covenaunt  graunt  and  agree  to  and  with  the  said  John 


lUustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


73 


Bradshawe  his  Executors,  Administrators  and  Assignes  by  theis  presents 
That  hee  the  said  John  Bradshawe  his  Executors  Administrators  and 
Assigns  under  and  upon  the  Rent  and  Covenants  aforesaid  shall  and 
m&y  dureing  the  said  terme  peaceably  and  quietly  have  hould  use 
occupie  and  enioy  all  the  said  demised  premisses  with  the  Appurteniices 
for  and  dureing  the  said  Terme  according  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning 
of  theis  presents  without  the  lawful!  Lett  suite  trouble  disturbance 
interupcon  or  evicton  of  them  the  said  Governors  and  theire  Successors 
or  any  other  Person  or  Persons  clayming  by  from  or  under  them  in  any 
wise.  In  witnes  whereof  aswell  the  Common  Scale  of  the  said  Governors 
as  the  hand  and  Seale  of  the  said  John  Bradshawe  to  theis  Indentures 
interchangably  are  put  the  daie  and  yeare  first  above  written. 

Jo :  [seal]  Bradshawe. 

(On  the  back)    Sealed  and  deliverd  in  the  presence  of 

Edmond  Scjibb  Reg^ 
Joseph  Hobbes. 
Henry  Hitchcock. 

21.    Munim.  42,942—43,081. 

The  Bills  of  1653  and  1654  shew  that  Bradshaw  made  a  new  kitchen 
(in  lieu  of  '  the  old  kitchen '),  a  servants'  dining  room,  a  '  gentlemen's 
dining  room '  (also  called  '  the  new  dining  room '),  and  a  new  staircase 
(with  a  gallery,  or  perhaps  loft,  above  it). 

He  also  fitted  out  '  the  Abbot's  Chamber '  and  the  '  withdrawing 
room '  next  to  it  as  '  my  Lady's '  apartments. 

Moreover  £55  was  spent  in  leads  over  the  cloisters  ('  the  new 
platforme').  There  is  also  mention  of  building  a  brick-wall  over  the 
cloister  (the  northern  wall  of  the  building  already  there,  which  had 
been  only  of  lath  and  plaster). 

Several  of  the  other  items  are  of  great  interest ;  but  from  our  lack 
of  knowledge  they  are  not  always  easy  to  interpret.  Thus  in  no.  19 
we  seem  to  get  the  date  at  which  Litlyngton's  tiles  in  the  'Abbot's 
Chamber '  were  covered  over  with  the  present  wooden  flooring.  These 
tiles  extend  over  the  whole  of  the  room,  but  the  surface  of  them  is 
entirely  worn  away,  except  in  one  or  two  places.  They  were  examined 
in  1903,  and  some  of  the  boards  were  fitted  with  hinges,  so  that  the 
best  preserved  parts  might  readily  be  seen.  No.  58,  however,  suggests 
that  thei'e  had  been  some  floor  laid  over  the  tiles  before  this  time ;  but 

5—5 


74 


Tlie  Abbot's  House 


perhaps  it  only  means  that  the  work  was  at  first  badly  done,  and  had 
to  be  done  over  again. 

The  various  dining  rooms  are  puzzling.  As  Bradshaw  was  excluded 
from  the  use  of  the  Abbot's  Hall,  he  evidently  had  to  make  fresh 
provision  for  his  '  gentlemen.'  If  by  '  the  new  dining  room '  is  meant 
the  present  one  over  the  kitchen,  we  get  into  difficulty  with  the  item 
for  '  covering  the  new  dyning  roome  with  sheete  lead ' :  for  we  should 
have  to  suppose  that  the  two  storeys  now  above  it  were  not  built  by 
Bradshaw  and  there  seems  no  evidence  for  assigning  them  to  a  later 
date.  It  may  be  that  a  more  careful  collation  of  the  bills  and  their 
summaries  might  shew  which  room  was  meant. 

The  Bills  are  summarised  under  date  11  June  1653:  they  extend  to 
the  number  of  84. 

In  this  summary  the  following  phrases  occur : 
No.    8.    Tyling  over  the  Starecase  £9.  16. 

10.  Emptying  2  vaults. 

11.  Emptying  a  vault. 

18.  Making  a  Siellen,  Partitions  in  the  buttery. 

19.  Laying  the  Joyce  and  boarding  the  floare  in  the  Abbott'.s  Chamber. 
35.    Cutting  away  for  the  Starecase  and  for  2  doores. 

.36.    Taking  up  the  floore  in  the  Chamber  over  the  buttery. 

44.    Dealos  to  finish  the  starecase  £8.  17.  10  (besides  £1.  12  in  No.  28). 

46.    Glasing  the  new  starecase. 

48.    Plastering  the  New  Starecase,  a  new  chamber  over  it  £26.  11. 
50.    Making  a  great  starecase,  a  chamber  over  it,  a  little  starecase,  a  House  of 
office  &c.  £75.  16. 

(After  52).    Disbursed  for  16  Large  marble  Stones  which  are  laid  in  the  new  dyning 
roome  chimney  £1.  6. 
53.    Taking  up  the  floare  in  the  Abbott's  chamber  and  new  laying  it. 

56.  CuUoring..  the  matted  roome,  painting  the  great  starecase  the  chimney 

and  chimney  peice  in  the  gallery. 

57.  Btiilding  the  Kitchen,  and  lesser  stareca.sc,  turning  the  old  Kitchen  into  a 

dyning  roome,  &c.  £36.  11. 

58.  New  tyling  the  Kitchen,  Starecase,  &c.  £25.  0.  6. 

63.  A  starecase  for  the  waterhouse,  a  doore,  a  partition,  &c. 

64.  Covering  the  new  dyning  roome  with  sheete  lead  £9.  0.  6. 

71.  Making  a  bricke  wall  over  the  cloyster  £8. 

72.  Painting... my  Lord's  new  Studdy. 

74.    Laying  a  marb[l]e  footpace  in  the  drawing  roome  chimney. 
76.    A  shed  in  the  garden. 

Sum  Total.. .£464.  13.  2 
The  Bills  themselves  contain  many  further  items  of  interest,  e.g.: 
No.  20.    Abbot's  (Chamber:  making  the  stairs  going  up  to  the  lodgings  (materials 
included)  £2.  6.  8. 


lUuiitmtive  Documents  and  Notes 


75 


25.    A  key  to  two  locks  for  M''  Kowe... locks  for  the  Runie  whei-e  the  Righting  is. 
35.    Cutting  way  for  the  st<iircase,  and  cutting... two  doorways  and  a  window. 
45.    Lead  over  Gallery  £1.3:  lead  for  gutters  over  now  Rufcast  building  £2.  3.  0. 
47.    Lock  and  key  for  me  ladyes  ( 'losit. 

The  great  stairs  and  the  Gallery^  over  it  (42,911  A). 

Work  in  the  gallery  on  top  of  the  stairs  (42,993  G). 

Altering  a  dormer. 

A  doorhead  going  into  the  servants  dining  room. 
The  little  stairs  by  the  two  great  doors. 
The  old  side  of  the  gallery. 

Piecing  the  great  door  going  up  into  the  great  dining  room. 
Lining  a  window  in  the  lower  room  under  the  .stairs. 

For  39  steps  in  going  up  into  the  Kitchen  and  going  into  the  upper  dining 
room. 

57.  For  the  gi-eat  window  in  the  new  dining  room  (43,000,  May  1654). 
14  steps  of  stairs  going  up  to  M""  Higgeson's  lodgings  (cf.  42,996). 
13  stejjs  going  up  from  Kitchen. 

Cutting  away  the  floor  and  the  roof  for  the  Kitchen  chimney. 
59.    One  day's  work  to  take  down  the  botres  [i.e.  the  butti-ess  of  the  cloister 
wall,  to  make  place  for  the  kitchen  chimney]. 
4i  days  breaking  down  two  doorways  going  into  the  Coalhouse :  one  day 

to  break  down  the  oving. 
4  days  for  sinking  the  kitchen  (?)  (43,005  D). 
Sheet  lead  laid  over  the  new  dining  room  (43,007  B). 

67.  The  room  over  the  kitchin. 

68.  Two  doors  going  into  the  dining  room. 

69.  The  chamber  where  the  gackwaite  [jack-weight]  goeth. 
71.    Building  a  wall  over  the  cloisters  (Bricklayer). 

79.    M""  Parnel's  room  [Thos.  Parnell  pays  the  bills  now]. 
81.    The  new  pantry. ..the  gentelle  mens  dining  rome. 

The  brickwork  in  my  ladys  colsett  (43,030). 

For  laying  the  footpace  in  the  gentell  men  chamber. 

22.    Chapter  Orders  under  Dean  Sprats 

Sep.  21,  1683.  Ordered,  That  the  Deane  shall  have  40"  allow'd  him 
by  the  Treasurer  for  the  alteracions  intended  to  bee  made  in  his  house 
if  it  shall  amount  to  soe  much. 

Oct.  13,  1683.  That  a  Chimney  bee  built  in  the  Dean's  hall  att  the 
Charge  of  the  Colledgel 

1  This  is  shewn  in  the  Atterbury  plans  described  below,  p.  77. 
-  Installed  Sept.  21,  1683. 

^  Treasurer's  Acc'^.  1683:  To  my  L''  By  Like  Order  for  his  Expences  about  the  new 
Roome  in  the  Deanry...xxxiii'' vi' viij''. 

Ibid.  1684:  Paid  Charges  in  Building  the  Dean  a  New  Studdy  by  Order  of  Chapter  as 

XX 

p  Bills... iiij'x"  xij'  vi'. 

Paid  Charges  in  Kepayres  in  Severall  Places  about  the  Deanry  as  j)  Bills. ..xliij''  viij^  i''. 


76 


The  Abbot's  House 


May  29,  1702.  That  the  sisterne  in  the  great  Cloysters  which 
receives  the  water  running  to  the  Dean  and  Prebendaryes  houses  be 
new  made  and  set  up,  the  Old  one  being  fallen  down  and  much  in 
decay  and  likewise  the  sistern  in  the  little  Cloysters  be  amended  and 
made  good^ 

Apr.  6,  1706.  That  nothing  be  done  this  year  to  the  Dean's  and 
Prebends  Houses  but  only  to  keep  the  Roofes  in  repair. 

May  5,  1707.  That  the  Roofe  of  the  Jerusalem  Chamber  be  made 
good  and  firme  and  that  the  College  Pantry  and  the  Butler's  Chimney 
be  repaired  as  the  Treasurer  shall  direct. 

Feb.  16,  1707/8.  That  the  Treasurer  do  view  a  Closet  that  is 
likely  to  fall  down  in  the  Deans  House  and  take  care  that  it  be  made 
good. 

Feb.  17,  1708/9.  That  no  Worke  exceeding  the  value  of  4  pounds 
upon  the  Deanery,  or  40  shillings  upon  any  Prebendal  House  be  done 
without  a  Chapter  Order  for  the  same^ 

Feb.  25,  1708/9.  That  the  Battlements  over  the  Deanery  and  the 
CoUedge  Hall  be  repaired. 

May  25,  1709.  That  part  of  the  Deanery  which  adjoins  to  the 
Registers  House,  and  the  Registers  House  be  repaired  witli  all  necessary 
Reparacions  after  the  cheapest  manner. 

Feb.  14,  1709/10.  That  the  Treasurer  do  provide  what  (xravell  is 
necessary  to  new  lay  the  Deans  Garden  after  such  manner  as  his  Ldp 
shall  approve  of 

Feb.  30,  1710/111  That  a  Vault  be  made  in  the  Deans  Cellar 
according  to  his  Ldps  directions. 

28.    Chapter  Orders  under  Dean  Atterbury". 

July  17,  1713.  That  the  Deanery  be  repair'd  and  made  fit  for  his 
Ldps  Reception  and  a  new  Roome  built  according  to  his  Ldps  desire, 
and  that  M"'  Dickenson  lay  before  the  next  Chapter  an  Estimate  of  the 
whole  Charge. 

July  24,  1713.  That  the  Deanery  be  repair'd  and  a  new  Roome 
built  next  to  the  Study  there,  according  to  the  Estimates  this  day 
deliver'd  into  the  Chapter. 

1  Compare  the  earlier  Order,  June  20,  1663 :  Ordered  that  M''  Treasurer  doe  give  the 
Lord  Bpp  of  Worcester  [Dean  Earlcs]  Satisfaction  for  the  Cisterne  standing  in  the 
Deanes  Kitchin. 

2  Repeated,  Apr.  4,  1711,  and  Feh.  14,  1714/5:  a  similar  order  had  been  made  Jan.  16, 
1672/3. 

'  Tricesimo  die  Februarij ' !  Installed  June  16,  1713. 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes 


77 


May  28,  1718.  That  the  great  Roome  near  the  Library  in  the 
Deanery  and  Staires  and  Doors  leading  thereto  be  fitted  up  upon 
the  College  Account  in  such  manner  as  my  L**  the  Dean  shall  direct. 

Nov.  4,  1718.  My  L<^  the  Dean  this  day  acquainted  the  Chapter 
that  the  work  order'd  in  the  Deanery  by  the  Chapter  Act  of  the  28'^'' 
of  last  May  was  likely  to  arrise  to  a  much  greater  sum  than  He 
expected  by  the  Reason  of  the  many  more  Decays  and  Defects  found 
in  the  Building  than  the  Workmen  apprehended,  and  that  therefore 
He  had  stopt  wainscotting  and  finishing  the  great  Roome  and  Closett 
till  He  had  inform'd  the  Chapter  thereof  and  had  their  further  Consent 
to  finish  the  same :  Whereupon  it  was  unanimously  agreed  that  the 
same  should  be  compleated  at  the  College  Charge  in  the  manner  his 
Lordship  should  direct. 

24.    Atterbury's  Plans:  Munim.  Press  28. 

Four  plans  are  extant,  which  were  drawn  with  a  view  to  Dean 
Atterbury's  alterations.  Three  of  them  are  of  the  year  1715,  and  are 
marked '  Story,'  '2*^  Story,'  and 'S*^  Story.'  The  first  is  in  fact  the  ground 
floor  plan.  It  shews  the  main  entrance  into  the  house  as  in  the  centre  of 
the  passage  under  the  gallery :  to  the  right  on  entering  is  a  lobby  out 
of  which  rise  the  great  stairs  constructed  by  Bradshaw.  A  little  to  the 
left  of  the  present  hall-door,  and  quite  in  the  comer,  is  a  small  door 
leading  to  a  small  flight  of  stairs,  just  outside  the  kitchen  door:  traces 
of  this  staircase  can  still  be  seen  in  the  entry  from  the  kitchen  to  the 
coal  cellar :  it  sprang  from  within  the  little  tower  which  originally  had 
the  newel  staircase.  The  present  staircase  leading  up  from  the  kitchen 
did  not  then  exist. 

The  '  2*^  Story '  plan  shews  the  '  High  Dining  Roome '  (the  present 
Ante  Room),  and  the  '  Great  Dining  Room '  (the  present  Dining  Room) 
which  Bradshaw  had  built  over  his  new  kitchen.  It  shews  a  curious 
arrangement  of  the  rooms  over  the  West  Cloister,  which  then  contained 
a  staircase  giving  access  to  the  rooms  above  them:  a  slip  is  attached 
which  offers  an  alternative  proposal  for  this  staircase.  The  newel  stair- 
case is  shewn,  both  on  this  floor  and  on  the  next,  as  cut  away  to  insert 
wooden  stairs :  see  the  Plan  on  p.  6,  which  is  from  the  '  3*^  Story '  plan. 
The  first  of  the  Red  Rooms,  which  was  built  by  Dean  Sprat,  is  marked 
'Study':  to  the  north  of  it  is  a  much  smaller  room,  but  a  suggestion 
for  its  enlargement  to  its  present  size  is  sketched  in  on  the  plan.  The 
Jericho  Parlour  bears  the  name  of  'Organ  Roome.' 


78 


The  Abbot's  House 


On  the  '3*^  Story'  the  rooms  above  Jericho  are  called  'M''  Arch 
Deacon's  Apartment':  Bishop  Sprat's  son  being  the  Archdeacon  of 
Rochester.  The  chambers  built  by  Dean  Neile  are  shewn  as  still  intact, 
and  are  assigned  to  '  M''  Low.' 

The  fourth  plan  is  dated  1718,  and  is  a  mixture  of  plan  and  elevation. 
It  shews  a  'loft'  over  the  staircase,  reached  by  a  flight  of  eight  stairs 
just  outside  the  present  dining  room  door.  This  is  called  in  a  note  on 
the  back  of  the  plan  the  '  Organ  Loft.'  The  elevation  shews  the  top 
of  the  tower  which  had  contained  the  newel  staircase,  rising  four  feet 
above  the  leads.  The  new  elevation  (attached)  clears  away  both  the  loft 
and  the  upper  part  of  the  tower,  giving  the  present  arrangement. 
Portions  of  plan  attached  shew  the  second  Red  Room  as  already  built, 
nearly  as  at  present,  and  offer  a  modification  of  the  great  staircase,  which 
however  is  not  in  accordance  with  what  now  exists  and  possibly  was 
never  carried  out. 

These  plans  are  of  special  interest  as  shewing  the  house  as  Bradshaw 
left  it,  the  only  alteration  apparently  being  the  addition  of  the  'Study' 
off  the  gallery,  built  by  Dean  Sprat. 

25.    Chapter  Orders  under  Dean  Wilcocks^ 

July  7,  1731.  That  a  Sum  not  exceeding  One  hundred  pounds  be 
allowed  to  him  for  putting  the  Deanary  House  in  Repair,  and  fitting 
it  up  in  such  manner  as  He  shall  think  proper. 

Dec.  7,  1731.  That  the  Pales  Scaffolding  and  Sheds  be  removed 
from  the  Quadrangle  of  the  Great  Cloyster  into  a  large  peice  of  the 
Deans  Garden  which  is  to  be  a  Store  and  Work  yard  the  Dean  consent- 
ing thereto  for  the  greater  Convenience  and  ornam''  of  the  College. 
And  that  Iron  Rails  with  sharp  Spikes  be  put  into  all  the  Windows 
of  the  said  Cloyster  and  that  the  Area  thereof  be  made  neat  Grass 
ground. 

Oct.  4,  1732.  That  the  two  Brick  Buildings  in  the  great  Cloyster 
be  pulled  down  and  the  Materials  sold  and  Iron  Barrs  put  into  those 
Windows  as  in  the  rest. 

Dec.  18,  1733.  That  the  Screen  by  the  Clock  be  taken  down  (the 
Floor  made  good)  and  the  Materials  thereof  be  used  in  Wainscotting 
the  Dining  Hall:  And  that  the  Chapell  now  behind  the  Screen  be 
fitted  up  for  a  Vestry^. 

1  Installed  July  2,  1731.    [Nothing  under  Dean  Bradford.] 

2  In  the  Account  given  to  Parliament:  '1735.  On  New  Wainscotting  and  Beautifying 
the  College  Hall,  New  Building  the  Receiver's  Office,  Repairing  the  Registry,  Almshouses, 
Ac.  £218.  16.  8.' 


Ilhistrative  Documents  and  Notes 


79 


Feb.  21,  1733/4.  That  the  Ceiling  of  the  Jerusalem  Chamber,  and 
passage,  with  that  in  the  Audit  Room,  be  White  Washed. 

Dec.  16,  1735.  That  a  Sett  of  new  Chairs  be  bought  for  the  Organ 
Room. 

Apr.  17,  1736.  That  the  Old  brick  Wall'  upon  the  West  Cloyster 
be  made  good,  and  covered  with  Stucco  according  to  an  Estimate  this 
day  given  in  (cf  above,  no.  21). 

An  Estimate  of  Ripping  the  Roofs  of  the  Deanary  and  ten  prebendal 
Houses,  being  this  day  laid  before  the  Chapter,  amounting  to  about 
£400 — Agi-eed  That  the  Sum  of  One  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  be  laid 
out  in  Ripping  them  in  their  Order,  as  far  as  that  Sum  will  go. 

May  19, 1736.  That  the  Roof  over  the  Dining  Room  at  the  Deanary 
be  repaired  according  to  the  Estimate  and  Account  the  Chapter  have 
this  day  had  of  it  from  M""  James  upon  a  View  thereof  by  him  made 
on  the  third  Instant,  the  Great  Timber  or  main  Beams  being  quite 
decayed  and  in  a  ruinous  Condition. 

That  the  Jerusalem  Chamber  Windows  be  cleaned  and  amended 
and  a  new  wire  grate  be  put  before  the  North  window  thereof  to  secure 
it,  tLe  Old  one  being  quite  worn  out. 

Mar.  16,  1737/8.  That  to  prevent  the  annoyance  of  Smoak  in  the 
Jerusalem  Chamber  and  Organ-room,  Tin  funnells  be  put  upon  those 
Chimneys. 

Mar.  3,  1738/9.  The  hanging  Wall  over  the  Great  Cloyster  Gate 
being  ruinous,  and  viewed  by  M""  James  Ordered  That  the  same  be 
taken  down  and  the  Battlements  adjoyning  be  secured-. 

Mar.  1,  1739/40.  That  the  Cai-penters  Work  needfull  to  be  done 
at  the  Deanary,  and  at  D"'  Henricks  and  M"'  Barnards  Prebendal  Houses, 
amounting  to  £44.  1.  9,  as  by  Estimate  this  day  produced,  be  forthwith 
done. 

April  2,  1743.  The  Dean  having  this  day  acquainted  the  Chapter 
with  a  Design  of  new  fitting  up  the  two  best  Rooms  in  the  Deanery, 
namely,  the  High  Dining  Room  and  the  Drawing  Room :  by  mending 
and  altering  the  Wainscott  and  by  putting  therein  two  marble  Chimney 
pieces  with  Slabbs  and  Carved  work:  all  to  remain  to  the  College, 
Agreed  and, 

Ordered  That  His  Lordship  be  allowed  and  paid  by  the  Treasurer 
the  Sum  of  twenty  pounds  towards  carrying  the  same  into  Execution. 

1  Built  by  Bradshaw. 

2  In  the  Report  to  Parliament:  'Taking  down  the  decayed  pediment  over  the  Cloyster 
Gate  and  rebuilding  the  same.' 


80 


The  Abbot's  House 


Having  signified  also  his  Intention  of  new  painting  this  Summer 
the  greatest  part  of  the  inside  of  the  Deanry  House  at  his  own  Charge : 
Ordered,  That  the  Whitewashing  of  the  Cielings  Passages  &c.  be  done 
as  usual  by  the  College  and  that  the  Outside  Painting  thereof  amounting 
by  Estimate  to  £6.  10.  9  be  likewise  done  by  the  College. 

Oct.  17,  1743.  That  the  Passage  from  the  Deanery  to  the  back- 
yard being  about  four  yards  long  and  four  feet  broad,  formerly  laid  with 
Bricks  and  now  worn  out,  be  new  laid  with  Stone,  the  Expence  whereof 
is  Estimated  at  £2.  12.  0. 

That  the  Bricklayers  and  Smiths  work  in  taking  two  Cross  Beams 
out  of  the  new  Marble  Chimneys,  and  turning  two  Arches  of  Brick  in 
lieu  thereof:  and  Carpenters  work  in  making  new  inside  Shutters  to 
one  of  the  Study  windows;  Two  Closet  Doors  in  a  Chamber,  and  a 
Dresser  in  the  Kitchen,  and  in  mending  stopping  and  preparing  the 
Wainscott  in  various  places,  for  the  Painter  to  work  upon,  be  allowed 
by  the  College. 

We  have,  moreover,  in  the  Special  Order  Book  for  Repairs  of  Church 
(1733  onwards): 

Feb.  16,  1740.  That  the  Workmen  go  on  with  the  building  of  the 
S.W.  Tower  of  the  Abbey,  and  the  other  Works;  And  that  the  Hoysting 
Engine  and  Fence  be  removed  nearer  to  the  said  Tower  for  opening  the 
way  to  the  W.  end  of  the  Church  according  to  the  Plan  this  day  laid 
before  us  by  the  Mason :  And  that  proper  Accommodation  be  made  for 
M''  Gell  in  lieu  of  what  shall  be  pulled  down,  and  that  all  things  be  left, 
when  the  Work  is  done,  as  they  were  found. . . . 

Apr.  8, 1745.  That  the  Battlements  at  the  N.  end  of  the  Jerusalem 
Chamber  and  along  to  M''"  Robinson's  House  be  made  good  by  the 
Bricklayer,  and  that  he  build  a  wall  from  the  Angle  of  M'  Gell's  Wall 
to  the  N.W.  Angle  of  the  Jerusalem  Chamber. 

That  the  Door  under  the  N.  Window  of  the  Jerusalem  Chamber 
be  taken  away,  and  filled  up  by  the  Mason  with  Stone  like  the  rest 
of  the  Wall.  ' 

May  7,  1745.  Whereas  the  Approach  to  the  W.  Gate  of  our 
Collegiate  Church  would  be  much  handsomer,  and  on  public  Solemnities 
more  commodious,  if  all  the  Brick- Walls,  as  well  new  as  old,  standing 
before  the  Deans'  Gallery'  were  removed  and  taken  down,  and  the  Dean 
is  consenting  thereunto,  It  is  ordered  that  M''  Grant  Clerck  of  the 
Works  do  direct  our  College  Bricklayers  to  take  all  the  said  Brick- 
Walls  down,  and  to  erect  a  new  Brick-wall  on  the  Back  Side  of  the 
'  See  above,  p.  15. 


r 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes  81 

said  Gallery,  inclosing  such  part  of  the  Dean's  Garden  as  he  shall  direct 
and  judge  sufficient  for  holding  all  the  Conveniences  contained  within 
the  Brick- Walls  now  ordered  to  be  taken  down,  and  that  he  remove 
and  fit  up  again  all  the  said  Conveniences  in  the  new  place  when  ready 
for  them. 

K. 

The  Norman  Chequer  Work. 

It  may  be  seen  by  an  examination  of  the  large  Plan  that  the  tower 
over  the  main  entrance  to  the  Cloisters  extends  some  ten  feet  south- 
wards, beyond  the  wall  of  the  entrance  passage.  Between  this  wall 
and  the  outer  wall  of  the  tower  is  a  space,  26  ft.  long  and  3  ft.  9  in. 
wide.  On  the  gi'oimd  floor  this  narrow  space  contains  the  scullery  of 
the  porter's  lodge :  on  the  first  storey  it  forms  a  long  and  very  narrow 
bedroom.  Both  of  these  rooms  have  been  irregularly  enlarged  by 
scooping  out  recesses  in  the  rubble  of  the  thick  walls  on  either  side. 
On  the  second  storey  a  more  systematic  enlargement  has  taken  place, 
the  northern  wall  having  been  reduced  to  a  mere  partition,  a  foot  wide : 
the  space  has  been  divided  by  a  large  chimney-breast,  and  the  western 
portion  has  yet  another  small  storey  above  it. 

The  wall  at  the  eastern  end  on  the  second  storey  shews  a  large 
chequer  pattern,  about  3  ft.  9  in.  wide  and  13  ft.  high,  made  out  of 
variously  coloured  stones  and  tiles.  To  the  north,  this  pattern  origin- 
ally Avas  bounded  by  the  thick  north  wall :  but  that  wall  has  been 
sliced  away  for  more  than  a  foot  of  its  width,  and  the  part  of  the  face 
of  the  east  wall  which  it  once  covered  is  now  left  bare  and  rough. 
To  the  south,  the  chequer  pattern  is  bounded  by  the  outside  wall  of 
the  tower,  which  cuts  off  what  must  have  been  a  further  extension 
of  the  pattern.  The  junction  of  wall  and  pattern  has  been  carefully 
made,  half-diamonds  of  firestone  being  used  to  complete  the  pattern, 
where  it  had  been  broken  away  in  the  building  of  the  wall. 

Above  the  pattern  there  is  a  cornice,  surmounted  by  a  band  of 
quatrefoils ;  and  this  cornice  also,  with  its  quatrefoils,  is  likewise  cut 
short  by  the  outside  wall  of  the  tower.  This  seems  to  shew  that  the 
pattern,  whether  originally  the  decoration  of  an  outside  wall  or  not, 
was  at  some  period  so  exposed  as  to  need  the  protection  afforded  by 
a  cornice.  The  cornice  and  quatrefoils,  which  may  perhaps  be  early 
fourteenth  century  work,  extend  1  ft.  10  in.  upwards,  and  the  wall 


82 


The  Abbot's  House 


above  them  rises  plain  for  about  2  ft.  10  in.  to  the  ceiling  of  the  room : 
in  this  upper  part  of  the  wall  is  a  small  oblong  aperture,  now  filled  up. 

The  illustration  here  given,  from  a  photograph  kindly  made  for  me 
by  Mr  Wallace,  shews  the  upper  part  of  the  pattern,  and  the  cornice 
with  the  quatrefoils ;  and  also  the  flat-plastered  walls  enclosing  either 
side.  The  lower  part  of  the  pattern  is  better  preserved.  The  only 
thing  at  all  of  the  same  kind  in  the  abbey  is  a  chequer  pattern  in  the 
south-west  corner  of  the  little  cloisters,  upon  the  outside  wall  of  the 
organist's  house;  and  there  the  work  is  undoubtedly  of  the  Norman  period. 

It  is  not  easy  to  unravel  the  history  to  which  these  interesting 
features  bear  witness.  The  following  occurs  to  me  as  a  possible  inter- 
pretation. The  pattern  was  on  the  west  face  of  the  west  wall  of  the 
refectory.  The  rest  of  the  wall,  running  south,  disappeared;  perhaps 
about  1390,  when  the  range  of  offices  for  the  cellarer  was  built; 
perhaps  a  little  earlier,  when  Litl3rngton  built  his  tower.  The  wall 
to  the  north  was  a  continuation  of  the  refectory  wall :  above,  it  has 
been  reduced  to  very  slender  dimensions;  and,  below,  it  gradually 
thins  away  as  it  goes  westwards  (see  the  large  Plan),  no  doubt  for 
the  straightening  of  the  reconstructed  cloister  entrance  of  Abbot 
Litlyngton's  time.  The  pattern  may  have  originally  decorated  a  large 
chamber  west  of  the  refectory;  and  when  the  chamber  disappeared, 
and  the  pattern  became  exposed,  the  cornice  may  have  been  placed 
above  it  as  an  ornamental  protection.  At  any  rate,  the  cornice  must 
be  earlier  than  Abbot  Litlyngton's  time ;  for  it  is  cut  short  by  the  wall 
of  his  entrance  tower.  The  existence  of  the  wall  to  the  north  of  the 
pattern,  now  almost  entirely  thinned  away,  suggests  that  to  the  west 
of  the  Norman  Abbot's  Camera  (over  the  locutorium)  there  was  some 
building,  forming  a  continuation  of  the  Camera  and  providing  the 
means  of  passing  from  the  newel  staircase  to  the  Camera. 

L. 

Where  v^^as  the  Abbot's  Chapel? 

Something  must  be  said  as  to  the  site  of  the  Abbot's  Chapel,  though 
the  subject  is  involved  in  exceptional  obscurity.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  the  abbot  had  a  private  chapel  at  Westminster,  as  he  had  at  his 
houses  of  Denham,  Neyte  and  elsewhere.  There  are  frequent  references 
to  '  my  lord's  chapel '  in  the  abbot's  accounts ;  and,  when  another  chapel 
than  that  at  Westminster  is  intended,  this  generally  seems  to  be  made 
plain.    But  where  was  the  chapel  situated  ? 


liy  i;.iiH.  MoKi.Ex  and  Puii,.  Lea,  1(190 

10.  Swau  Inn  12.    The  New  Way 

11.  The  King's  Alms  House  13.    White  Hai-t  Lane 


Illustrative  Documents  and  Notes  83 


It  has  been  commonly  said  that  the  easternmost  of  the  two  rooms 
over  the  cloister  entrance,  which  has  beneath  the  present  floor  tiles 
of  the  fourteenth  century,  was  the  Abbot's  Chapel.  But  this  room 
apparently  is  the  camera  abhatis  which  was  under  repair  in  1363  (see 
above  in  the  extracts  from  Litlyngton's  accounts);  and  it  bore  the 
name  of  the  Abbot's  Room  in  1715.  Moreover  I  think  it  probable 
that  it  is  referred  to  in  the  Dissolution  Inventory,  in  the  note  which 
says :  '  Memorandum :  the  [Deanes]  Abbottes  Chamber  furnysshed 
complete  geven  unto  hym  by  the  Kynges  Commissioners'.' 

We  have  no  direct  evidence  as  to  the  position  of  the  chapel  before 
Islip's  time.  Then,  however,  we  find  references  to  a  new  chapel.  Thus 
in  the  subsexton's  roll  for  19  Hen.  VIII  we  have  a  reference  to  pound 
tapers  to  our  fathers  new  chapel  within  the  monastery  and  to  hys  chapel 
at  Hendon^'  This  cannot  refer  to  Islip's  Chapel  in  the  north  aisle  of 
the  presbytery;  for  that  was  the  Jesus  ChapeP,  and  it  has  already 
been  mentioned  under  'pound  tapers.'  Moreover  we  find  in  the 
Dissolution  Inventory,  among  other  rooms  in  the  house,  'my  lordys 
newe  Chappell,'  which  is  put  next  after  '  Jerico  parlor.' 

I  have  little  doubt  where  we  must  look  for  it.  Islip's  new  building 
contained  not  only  Jericho  with  the  rooms  below  and  above  it,  but  also 
a  chamber  on  the  upper  floor  built  in  between  the  S.W.  Tower  and  the 
first  buttress  of  the  Nave,  and  having  a  wooden  oriel  looking  into  the 
Church.  The  tracery  of  this  window  is  now  torn  away,  and  the  arch 
behind  it  is  blocked  up  with  boarding :  a  partition  divides  the  chamber 
into  a  small  bedroom  and  a  passage;  but  this  partition  is  subsequent 
to  1715.  The  room  as  originally  constructed,  and  hung  with  the  tapes- 
tries mentioned  in  the  Inventory,  may  well  have  served  for  the  Abbot's 
private  mass.  It  would  appear  to  have  retained  for  some  time  its 
sacred  character  and  to  be  referred  to  in  a  later  document^  as  the 
'  Oratorie  within  Mr  Deane  Goodmans  bedchamber.' 

The  recurrence  in  various  documents  of  the  expression  '  new  Chapel ' 
seems  to  suggest  that  for  some  time  previously  no  chapel  had  been  in 
use :  else  we  should  expect  the  entry  for  tapers  in  the  accounts  to  be 
simply  for  'my  Lord's  Chapel,'  whether  its  position  had  been  changed 

1  The  westernmost  room,  which  in  1715  was  called  the  'Landry,'  I  should  identify 
with  '  the  Warderobe  at  Cheyneygates '  mentioned  earlier  in  the  same  Inventory. 

2  Mwiim.  19,834  :  c£.  19,828  and  19,836. 

I  have  discussed  the  problem  of  tlie  Jesus  Chapel  at  some  length  in  the  article  '  On 
the  Benedictine  Abbey  of  Westminster,'  in  the  Church  Quarterly  Review  for  April  1904, 
pp.  71—75. 

^  See  above,  p.  63. 


84 


The  Abbot's  House 


or  not.  Possibly  Islip's  predecessor,  who  had  let  his  house  at  West- 
minster to  Queen  Elizabeth  Wydville,  was  not  much  in  residence,  and 
had  been  contented  with  an  altar  specially  assigned  to  him  in  the 
Church  itself.  Thus  the  old  Chapel  may  have  been  in  a  state  of  decay. 
Conceivably  it  occupied  part  of  the  site  on  which  Islip's  new  building 
rose :  that  would  account  for  its  total  disappearance,  and  would  also 
be  in  harmony  with  the  general  conservatism  of  monastic  building 
which  tended  to  keep  things  as  much  as  possible  where  they  were. 

A  systematic  examination  of  the  fifteenth  century  rolls  may  possibly 
throw  some  further  light  on  the  matter. 


cambkidoe:  printed  by  john  clay,  m.a.  at  the  university  press 


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